La Botana Grill
3200 N 1st Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719
La Botana Grill Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
3200 N 1st Ave
Tucson, AZ, 85719 - Phone (520) 777-8801
- Website https://labotanagrill.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
- Mon : 11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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NoraZoe W.
Yum! We went yesterday (Monday), and it wasn't super quiet, but the staff were super friendly and the food was really good! We had a Living Social,and I really enjoyed it--bought another LS deal! We had the queso fundido (yummy!), and I had the tacos with peppers stuffed with cheese and shrimp, wrapped in bacon, in them. Wow, spicy but wow good. Husband had plain old beef tacos with cheese added. He enjoyed these. I had a sangria and he had a horchata. Both were delicious. I'm going back!! Yum!
(4)Dr Tim L L.
I was bummed. Great look to the place. Among the best wait staff here in Tucson. Got the guac with chips and 3 diff salsas. Okay ...... for $ 7.50 ..... big ouch. I was hoping for something better. There are so many good Mex places to eat here that the bar of really good is very high. pooh
(2)Loki J.
I went here for the first time yesterday and I was super impressed! Our server was Cesar and he was absolutely OUTSTANDING! The decor is very 'botana' and creates an atmosphere you can only find in secret gems like this. I had a Sonoran Burrito (it had another name, too, that began with a 'p' but I can't remember it) and it was delicious! Great flavor and beautiful presentation. Our only complaint is there is no enchilada type item on the menu.
(5)Daniel L.
Seven of us came to this Mexican restaurant anticipating an authentic fare. The divvy interior included a full bar upon entering, and a walkway that led us to the dining area. The atmosphere was casual, festive, and the noise level was high. The complimentary chips and refried bean dip was a nice opener. The chips were crisp and readily salted for the addictive bean dip. The Don Camaron Burrito ($9.99) arrived with garlic adobo shrimps, cilantro rice, grilled jalapenos, grilled red onions, queso, and chipotle sauce. I liked the level of spiciness, but the flavor of the grilled veggies really overpowered the shrimps and the cilantro rice. The tortilla also lacked a good chew, and instead turned out dry, flaky, and easy to crumble. For the price, the burrito did not meet my expectations. The Juan ($7.99) came with three tacos with adobada, pollo en adobo, and green chile pork. The adobada was sensational. The marinade was complex, delicious, and the meat was tender and moist. Comparatively, the other meat choices tasted one-dimensional, and did not carry the same wow factor. The side of rice and pinto beans were decent fillers but not spectacular. Service was spotty and inconsistent. By the end of the meal we had to walk up to the register to pay. I would only return to have more of the adobada pork tacos.
(2)Charlotte B.
Hands down, no question asked, the BEST Mexican Food in Tucson, and maybe all of Arizona!!!!! I live in Phoenix and I have super cravings for this place because nothing comes close!!!!! You get SO MUCH for the price (big dinner for two and drinks was just over $25), the first round of chips are free with a home made red salsa, salsa verde, Pico de gallo, bean dip. The flavors of everything is mind blowing good. They charge $1.25 for additional chips and salsa but it is so worth it! Service is casual, but not slow. My point is , do yourself a favor and come here ASAP!!!!!
(5)Jennie S.
Sometimes no matter how hard you wish.... I love the food here and have been giving them more chances than my last boyfriend... But this place continues to be it's own worst enemy. The service sucks and there is a big disconnect between the kitchen and the waitstaff. There has not been one time in the fifteen or so (I told you...chances) that have NOT had issues... No management around to speak to... Blah blah... I just want to manage it myself and with just a bit of tweaking this place could be everything you want it to be as it has great potential. Now all that being said... If you have the patience and don't mind that "service" is just a word here than go and eat the wonderful fish tacos and the pork, the grilled shrimp tacos... It's all really good...sigh...I had to say goodbye It seems that the owner uses this place as a "front" for his/her real passion....?!
(2)Donna H.
This place was suggested to us by a friend who had stopped here during a vacation. She told us to "get the Sonoran hot dog" - what? In Arizona... a hot dog?! Well this isn't just any hot dog - the toppings are mega and as strange as this may sound, the hot dog is perfectly cooked & the bun so super soft. Plus the prices are CHEAP! I mean, $2 or $3 for a taco, hot dog, etc. All of the food is good and doesn't taste cheap. The food is very authentic. My husband and I ordered a few items each, incl. the hot dog & margaritas, our bill was inexpensive. We almost missed the building though - it's on the corner of a run down shopping center. Our GPS got us there but I was looking for a huge stand alone restaurant - it does stand alone but it's small... maybe a dozen tables inside and if my memory serves me right, there was a patio. If you don't speak Spanish, it's okay - just point to what you want, never fails. If you find yourself in the area you need to stop here! It was a 10-15 drive from our hotel and sure, we passed plenty of places but we had a gut feeling this place wouldn't let us down.
(4)Chelsea M.
I don't know why I had never heard of a Sonoran dog before coming to Tucson, but it's filled a void forever. La Botana blows it out of the water...they have a vegetarian option, so I don't have to suffer while my boyfriend devours his AGAIN as I gaze longingly. This place is unexpected. It's not super clean, not in the nicest area, but food and service are reasons to ignore the aforementioned. I am not from Tuscon, but after spending an entire week here, eating out three meals a day, I miss this spot the most. Service is very good. Our male waiter was really friendly, even sent a compliment my way! I ordered everything I could, because I knew I wouldn't be back anytime soon. Tortilla soup was on point, a nice big bowl for cheap, topped with fresh avocado. Sonoran dog was complete with soy chorizo/chili...delish. Bf loved his bacon wrapped meat version more than all others he'd tried previously. Shrimp and fish tacos were equally satisfying, cooked to perfection. HUGE glasses of beer...yay. I miss you so much, La Botana, I feel an impromptu visit to Tucson is a must.
(5)Tonya E.
Two years ago id givin it 5 stars for the bang of a buck alone.not authentic but very nice patio and servers.prices have gone up here , but still below average.always have decent specials and I will continue to patronage on my yearly time I spend in tucson.Great for groups of people on a nice day on patio.
(4)Joey Z.
finally checked out this place! Went there once on the 4th of July, and you know what happened... The food is so great! Complementary chips and bean dips are awesome! Lunch special definitely worth~
(5)Morgan J.
I come here for lunch or dinner when I'm looking for some authentic Mexican food that is quick and casual. The food is always amazing and service is very quick. The servers seem to disappear and don't interrupt your meal but always come around right when you need them. There is beer on draft and the margaritas and Micheladas are amazing! Couldn't ask for a better drink selection at a Mexican restaurant like this. This and BKs are my favorite place to grab authentic Mexican food in Tucson!
(5)Sean S.
Another short and simple review, this place is a solid four stars. I sat on the patio, it was cozy. I arrived at Happy Hour so I had a margarita, it was tasty. I ordered two carnitas tacos, they were tasty. I ordered a bowl of tortilla soup, it was tasty. Why not five? I wasn't WOWED, but I sure did enjoy the crap out of my meal!
(4)Peter S.
Was really disappointed with the quality of the tacos. The chicken was dry and chewy. The watermelon juice was pretty good. I thought the service was pretty good until I had to wait 10 minutes to receive my check. Tonight I decided to go to BK's Tacos a few blocks south of La Botana on 1st Ave. If you're in the mood for Mexican+Sonoran hot dogs, GO TO BK's-- service was really good, food was good and the salsa+veggie bar makes it perfect.
(2)Susan P.
My BF took me here for the first time last year for dinner. We didn't know what to expect because it was our first time there. For starters, let's just say you DEFINITELY get your money's worth! When you first walk in the restaurant is kind of small but they have an amazing outdoor patio. They have heat lamps for when it's cold, tv's, an outdoor bar and even a little waterfall in the corner. You really do feel like you're in Mexico. I think the only thing missing is not having a beach view. lol. The people who work there are also very friendly and helpful with the menu. I've never had a bad experience with their servers there. Now onto the food and drinks! =) Everything on the menu is soooo good and reasonably priced. You can get a huge burrito for $8-9 and I've never been disappointed with anything I've ordered. Also, if you want an appetizer get the bean dip. It's delicious, comes out nice and warm for you and also comes with 3 different salsas for you as well. As far as the drinks, you HAVE to get the margaritas! They are soooo yummy and I've never seen a margarita so huge before. They are literally jumbo size AND 2 for 1! You can't get any better than that and they taste amazing. It doesn't take much to get me going so usually halfway through my margarita I'm usually feeling pretty great. =) So if you want good food, drinks and a great environment to hang out for a very reasonable price, this is the place to go! You DEFINITELY won't be disappointed.
(5)Alma C.
So we came in due to a groupon offer. Pay 20 and get $30. When you go to a Mexican restaurant you have in mind your meal usually comes with rice beans and tortillas. Looking at the menu we order the Sesti Diskada witch is 11.99 but my hubby wanted all three Chicken, Stake and Shrimp so it was 13.99. I got the Queso Fundido or Melted cheese with the shrimp for 8.99. And we had a kids meal with a stake taco. The food came out and it was very disappointing to se that the Queso fundido was served in a small plate with the chorizo and shrimp and it came with 4 very small flour tortillas. The kids meal had the small tortillas with rice and beans. Then the Diskera meal came in a dish with 4 small flour tortillas and for 13.99 they could have spare some rice and beans. Very desapointing. No we won't go back.
(1)Laura A.
I really want to give this place 4 stars because they have big, tasty margaritas, and the food is delicious and not too spendy. But gods, the service is totally hit or miss! Usually miss... The wait staff just isn't very on top of things. There are often dirty tables outside on the patio, waiting a long time to be cleared off. When you seat yourself on the patio, it can take like 5 or 10 minutes before anyone even acknowledges you are there... even though they walk right by your table. It's like they don't want to have eye contact, because I feel like they are purposely not looking at us. But, then eventually someone always comes over and takes our drink order. We like to go on Saturdays and/or Sundays, because they have 2-for-1 margaritas all day and night on both days. Basically we get two ginormous margaritas for $10. Um, YES. AND, they bring complimentary chips with some salsa verde, some pico, and some other very runny red sauce that tastes good but is hard to keep on the chip. Also, they have delicious hot bean dip that is extremely economical at $1 or something. You and your date can literally stuff yourself full of margaritas and chips and dip, and leave a decent tip, for $15!! Of course, they also have a menu full of food that is also delicious and not very expensive. My husband is a sucker for the street tacos. So, La Botana, PLEASE get your wait staff up to par! It wouldn't take much for them to look at you and say, "hey, I'll be right there is just a second!" *smile*. It's SO much better than averting their eyes and ignoring the table for another 5 minutes. Really. We will continue to go to La Botana, since the service is not egregious enough to keep us away (and we love the drinks and chips and dip lol).
(3)Lisa M.
I met my son for dinner and I had purchased the $30 voucher for $20 it was more than worth it. The service was stellar, the food was amazing and it's a cute little quaint place. I would recommend this joint for sure. The margaritas were pretty darn good for premixed as well.
(5)Natasha C.
I hardly ever order something out of my ordinary except for today. I order the Botana Bacon. It's mini pancakes with bacon bits in it with roasted potatoes and 2 over easy eggs with more bacon! A bacon lovers dream. Super delicious! This meal could make me a morning person.
(4)Gloria A.
The place here is small and wasn't sure if we should eat here. It took them awhile to give us our drinks and chips. Wasn't busy at all. A 5 stars on the food. I like to eat healthy and my husband loves mexican.food. I ordered egg whites vegetarian omelet. It was wonderful. Love it. The food was really good. Home made beans... mmm
(4)John T.
One of our regular places for Mexican in town. Great tacos, chips and dips. Add a decent margarita and your setup for a good meal.
(4)Nori G.
Something has changed recently and we haven't enjoyed our meals like we did last year. The recipes seem to be prepared differently. Happy hour times changes and are in the middle of the work day for those with 9-5 hours. Service is slower and not as efficient. In any case, we won't be returning again as we have now had three not so great experiences after a full year of delicious meals here.
(3)Patti C.
Like some other reviewers have mentioned this place can be hit or miss. Usually the food is really good, but my husband and I went the other night and the food was just so so. The chips, salsa and chipotle beans are always something I enjoy snacking on while I am waiting for our food, but this time the beans were cold and not vey good. The other food we ordered was again just okay. The buy one get one free margarita is a great special they run on the weekends and the margarita is very good. The service we had was also good ( that's not always the case). Prices are fair and the outside eating area is a great place to sit and watch the game.
(3)Donna K.
Just stopped in for a drink but found a nice friendly little place. We shared an Orlando chicken burrito and it was very tasty and huge. The chips with dip and salsas were great. Really good service and great value.
(4)Dalena T.
The place was overall ok, it was definitely a smaller restaurant than I had expected, I had gone with a group of about 7 people which wasn't to crowded but that the same time I wouldn't recommend a group any bigger. The food was decent, I actually had trouble deciding what i wanted for the longest time, maybe i'm just picky but I thought the menu was pretty small and limited. On top of that I've definitely had better Mexican cuisine in Tucson. If i had to say the best part of the night was our waitress, she was a complete doll,she was very welcoming and helpful, she would come around when we needed her, and not one of those waiters/waitresses who came by and interrupt every 10 minutes or so.
(3)Joshua L.
I used to give this restaurant a hard time. Something changed, and now...I now have a small addiction to lorenzas (grilled corn tortilla topped wirh your choice of meat). 2 for 1 margaritas. ..well, very generous with the tequila here. Service...super attentive. Looking forward to next visit. Tomorrow. ;)
(4)David J.
place has good food and not too pricey.. The Tucson water Margarita is amazing especially if you come at happy hr which is $3.50 for a BIG glass lol.. And they had a live band playing which was kinda cool.. Definitely a repeat restaurant!
(5)Kelly V.
Two for one margaritas on Saturdays... need I say more?
(4)Jennifer D.
I read the reviews and we just had to go try the place. Honestly it was just okay. Nothing to impressive. I got the veggie burrito with fake chorizo, and it tasted like something I could have made at home. Some people might have enjoyed something they could have made at home, but I wanted the out to eat experience by eating something new. I didn't have a drink but their margarita glasses were HUGE! I think if you someone wanted to get really wasted all they would have to order is one drink.
(3)Sam W.
I stayed in Tuscon for about a week and La Botana is the only restaurant I visited twice. The place has casual interior with an outdoor seating area. Complimentary bean dip and tortilla chips start off every meal. Both times that I ate here I ordered the BYOB (Build Your Own Burrito). As you could guess, it's a fantastic choice. La Botana packs their burritos with great ingredients and wraps it all up in an amazing thin tortilla. I would definitely recommend this place in general to anyone looking for some delicious Mexican food in the area. Great, filling food for a reasonable price.
(5)Chris W.
Got the build your own burrito, enchilada style. The red sauce was deep and rich. The red chile shredded beef was absolutely delicious. I'll come back for that. Service was attentive. My kids were happy (cheese quesadilla and shredded beef taco). My wife got the breakfast burrito. It was solid with chorizo and bacon.
(4)Alana J.
I used to go here for dinner when I lived less than a block away. The location was magnificent for their 2 for 1 GIANT margaritas because I could just walk home. The margaritas here are really sweet, so I get lime to throw in there to balance it out a little, and they put tamarindo powder (like Lucas candy) on the rims. Yummy! I always really liked the beef tacos, and the beef discada. The beef discada is super spicy to me, because I am super sensetive to spice, but it is full of flavor. I also freaking love the chicken adobo salad! It's delicious and like an explosion of flavors! Can't wait to be back!
(4)Tara A.
Oh how my fellow yelpers failed me this time. We don't visit Tucson often, but I was sure Yelp! Could help us find an amazing Mexican brunch. Unfortunately we ended up in the ghetto and had bad Mexican food - there is such a thing!?!? The worst thing was the green sauce, it seemed like it had either gone bad or was somehow made with carbonation. Yuck.
(2)Marc E.
This place is awesome. I think on Saturdays they have two for one margaritas and we have abused that on many an occasion and ordered the fishbowl sized ones. Gotta get the chips and bean dip, and then pick anything on the menu and you won't be let down. I usually go for the botanas and get a cantina taco of red/green chile, and then adobada caramelo's(my personal favorite). Other people I've seen order the zesty diskada, and they rave about it. Prices are very reasonable too.
(5)Alex M.
Not impressed. Granted, we went on Cinco De Mayo so it was crowded. But the food was mediocre, a little overpriced, and you have to pay for chips and salsa. Small area, not a great atmosphere, small selection of beers.
(2)Kathy N.
One of my favorite little getaways in Tucson! La Botana makes me feel like I'm sitting in one of my favorite little restaurants (now sadly closed) on Calle 13 in Puerto Penasco. It's the happy streetside patio, the excellent micheladas and the great tacos. The only things missing are the heavy, humid beach air, bathing suits and little ones selling chicle at your table. La Botana makes one of the best micheladas in Tucson and today's was just as I expected it. Perfect amount of clamato, lime and a nice salty rim. I typically order several ala carte tacos and today I had a green chile chicharron caramelo, a pork adobada loreza and a grilled tilapia cantina taco. All were perfect and just what I needed. It was my dining companions first time here and they ordered ala carte as well and were quite impressed. Our server was brand new and a little nervous but she didn't leave us longing for anything but a pen when she delivered the check. All in all, despite her nervousness, she did a good job. She just needs to brush up on the menu a bit and learn how to say adobada, but then again it took me a time or two to learn how to say it properly myself.
(4)Kat K.
Life is strange. When it gets even stranger, you head down to Tucson. Then, in a momentary lapse of judgement and out of just pure bad taste you decide to go to la Parilla suiza for shrimp tacos. When your sense returns after a half decent margarita, you realise you should have made the 20 min drive to la botana. The shrimp tacos at la Parilla could make you desperately desire Taco Bell. If you are in Tucson and are looking for a mouth watering good deal, memorable food and not la Parilla suiza, try the shrimp tacos here. Just do it.
(5)Don V.
This place is truly little Mexico! The food is authentic, flavorful. Drinks are always at a reasonable price. The 5 lb. burrito fed a group of 4 perfectly. Love it..
(5)Sylvia M.
I love this place. Best margaritas in town. They use a chili salt around the rim that is to die for. I've never had anything off the menu that wasn't delicious. Sometimes the servers can get overwhelmed and snappy.
(5)Gabriela F.
I'd been here before for lunch and dinner, but Sunday was my first time coming in for brunch. Turns out they have brunch drinks buy 1 get 1 free! my friends and I each got buy one get one margaritas, they were yummy! The rim was lined with a lucas-like chipotle salt, which was a nice change. I got the huevos diskados, so great. They have a lot of egg items, and they also have brunch specials on other things like fish tacos. We also ordered the chips and salsa, and they brought us warm bean dip as well. On other times I have visited I have had the queso fundido which is to die for (literally, i could feel my arteries clogging) but if you are going to be a fat kid, well worth it! The location is not the best, be sure to lock your car! But nevertheless, it is a good spot, and the patio is actually a really nice place to sit. I don't think I have ever sat inside. We were there when it was raining, and we were well covered and the breeze was great. The service during brunch was a bit slow, but I think it was because we were the only ones sitting outside and inside was packed. That has not been the case the other times I have visited.
(4)Justin B.
good morning for some morning drinking. This place is truly little Mexico! The food is authentic, flavorful. Drinks are always at a reasonable price. The 5 lb. burrito fed a group of 4 perfectly. Love it..
(5)Joel L.
Good food, good chips and dip(for 99cents ) but plastic cups for the margaritas? Come on folks! Over all, pretty good!:) Waitress was very nice
(3)Betsy B.
This is a small restaurant with outside patio. The food was very good and especially enjoyed the poco de gallo. The shrimp and fish dishes were very good. The waitress was knowledgeable and service was great. The desert was very good. The flan with the cinnamon sugar tortilla crust was the best. They offer the usual Mexican dishes often with their own twist on it. There is a nice variety of dishes.
(4)Matt E.
I'm tired of giving this place second chances. My co-workers and I used to use La Botana Grill as a great after-work place for taco, beer and general unwinding. A while ago we fell out of that and today we had an old co-worker back in town so we decided to fall back on La Botana Grill. Don't get me wrong because the food here is great, the beers cold and cheap, the margaritas half-priced on weekends, and the atmosphere is casual and fun but tonight we were reminded why we fell out of step with La Botana Grill. The service is TERRIBLE. It was slow, the server litterally never came back after we got our food. About 45 minutes after we inhaled our food we had to actively get up to pay the bill after flagging our server down didn't work. Once we were at the POS machine our server made sure to winge to all of us about how someone walked out on there bill because they WEREN'T GETTING SERVICE!The entire thing was unprofessional. After I begrudgingly payed my bill, walked through La Botana Grill's threshold for the last time. I hope these folks get the hint but until then, the killer bean dip included with your $.99 chips isn't worth the trouble. Try El Indio for bean dip.
(1)Rachael W.
La Botana brunch: pretty-good-could-do-better. Prices here are great, but I've been here twice, and there were always just a few things that kept this place from breaking through to 4 stars. They have chilaquiles (score!), which tasted fabulous but weren't quite hot enough. Their steak omelette comes with a dynamite sauce, but the meat is really low-quality. Our table was sticky with syrup once. Some dishes come with a nice little bowl of homemade salsa, and some come with just a spoonful of garnish salsa that has you chasing every tiny tomato cube with your fork. The ambiance reflects a dinner place, with beer signs and blaring football, more than a sweet brunch feel. But the food is filling and inventive, and especially with a groupon, you can't beat the price. Sitting outside is really nice, and the servers have been friendly.
(3)Marina M.
"Dios mio, muy bueno!" Yeah, it's kinda ballsy that La Botana has these words on a banner in front of the building. But then again it feels like they took the words out of my mouth with that stunt because the food is definitely good! I've tried various dishes here and each one an absolute winner. The diskada is highly recommended, and served in a plate above a burning candle. Fun! Same for the tacos- excellent meats and seasoning. However, I hold a special place in my heart for the chicharron burro. This burro has to be one of the unhealthiest foods I've had. Ever. But I don't care. The chicharron is among the best I've had, and not just in Tucson but in general. The perfect ratio of meat to fat and with a perfect crunchy texture. And to elevate the delicousness, the chicharron is bathed in a fabulous green salsa. Hell I would bathe in it. It is an amazing meal and I simply choose to ignore that it probably comes with a four figure calorie count. And those beans and chips? Get them. I believe they're about a dollar and worth it. Perfectly spiced. They go great with those two-for-one margaritas for sure. This place flat out rocks, and this is coming from a bona-fide Mexican.
(5)Anna W.
Awesome service from Leo. They have vegeterian chorizo (soy). And a groupon available. Their prices are already low to begin with! Best breakfast burrito, called Vaquero, I have ever tasted in my entire life! huge portions! Mouth watering goodness. Can't wait to return with others. Yum!
(5)Rachel S.
horrible service means horrible meal. waitress saw us come in with three kids, we told her they were hungry and were ready to order. she said she'd be right back, and went inside to buss several tables, take a few drink orders, wipe down some menus before returning. We mentioned the kids were really hungry and ordered chips and bean dip. It never came. By the time the screeching kids overpowered loud music, my husband had to go in to te bar and get the chips, which were sitting riqght there. bean dip, cold, crusted over and gross. Food finally came, but waitress did not bring tortillas. waiting, waiting, waiting, she strolls past. we tell her we're still waiting. food is cold. she says "these things take time!!!" Then kid spills water. Waiter says, I'll be right back. ice all over table. water dripping all over everything. I see waiter serving food, clearing tables, etc, so I get a bunch of napkins to cleanup. he scurries over, saying no no, don't use the napkins. then he tosses filthy rag covered in old beans on table, smears it around on our table and leaves. gross. tortillas finally come when the food is ice cold. The waitress acknowledges nothing and acts surprised when we tell her we just want to leave and never ever come back.
(1)Jessica L.
I definitely like this place. It's not as talked-about as other Mexican restaurants in town, but we happened upon it while contemplating going to another restaurant and scrolling through Yelp reviews. Me and the best friend split the Sonoran dogs with fries and a burrito. They have build-your-own burritos here! The Sonoran dog was quite tasty, I thought it rivaled some of the best in town. The burrito was also delicious and probably is hard to tackle solo. Chips aren't free but I believe they were only a dollar, so not bad. If you're looking for a restaurant that is quieter than the usual but still has delicious food, give this place a try! They also seem to have decent lunch specials.
(5)Sarah C.
When La Botana opened up I was a little skeptical but I didn't "judge a book by its cover" and noticed they had an awesome happy hour( $1 tacos and beer, $3 margs and 1/2 off apps)! I dragged my boyfriend there and the beef tacos..so much flavor. Anyways I went in around 3 craving one of their breakfast burros and the cook didn't know exactly what was in it ( obviously only working night shift and I come in wanting breakfast so I get it) but the cook whipped up one if the best breakfast burritos I've ever had! Huge fan of this place and they keep improving their restaurant
(5)Ron R.
The food hear never disappoints! The two for one margaritas on Saturday is a steal and they are tasty. Sad part is, how do you give these guys a three star rating when they are good at food but has horrible service for the first time, and she was the boss. She never came by to ask us if we needed anything the whole time. We had to ask another waitress for place settings, check, and another drink. I'll be back but I won't sit at her table again.
(3)Missy B.
This place is good but, to me, it is a sin to charge for chips in a mexican restaurant! Once you get over that part, however, the food is pretty good! I had the tortilla soup and loved it. It is served with a tortilla to dip in it, and it was the perfect accompanimant. The service was good and the waitresses were friendly with a good sense of humor. I wished it was warmer outside so that we could sit on the beautiful patio, but the inside is nice enough. The chairs are weird though... You'll see what I mean when you go! I feel like I need to go back to fully be able to write an accurate review, but for now La Botana, you are A-OK.
(3)Caitlin R.
Food is amazing prices are even better, the service is fast and friendly! The Nachos Gracias is the best in town!
(5)Maria G.
La Botana Grill This little restaurant has everything I need, good food, good service, comfortable inside tables, a great patio, and happy hour. I stopped in Tuesday night for a beer with a friend. She wanted to go somewhere with a patio. We met shortly after 7pm and the women waiting on us gave us menus. When we told her we just wanted a beer she wasn't rude or uninterested. La Botana always has a Mexican beer on special for $2.25, the beer of the month. The brand rotates but the special is always in effect. Our server told us about the "reverse" happy hour that started at 8pm with $1.00 tacos and other food and drink specials. We relaxed, watched the thunderstorm, and talked. When it was about 8pm our server asked if we wanted to try the tacos or anything else. We tried the tacos and had some chips and salsa. The food was good. There are $3.00 margaritas during happy hour too. Turns out there are many specials, some for happy hour and some specific to the day of the week. The regular prices are affordable and fair. Two minor complaints, it seems like the TVs have been removed, and there is a fair amount of traffic noise on the patio. The TV removal really doesn't bother me and La Botana is on a busy corner, so to I just want to emphasize these are minor complaints. My only suggestion would be to add a breakfast burrito to the menu; I would order it especially on a weekend. This is a fun little place, check it out.
(4)Amanda B.
Went in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. We sat on the great patio and began by enjoying the special: 2-1 margarita's. The margaritas had a spicy pepper around the rim with salt. I loved it. We started with the bean dip. The dip has a good kick in it due to the chipotle. I liked the dip, but it was almost a little to thin. I wish it were just a hair thicker. The trio of salsa's were awesome. I ordered one shrimp and two fish cantina taco's as well as a taco governador al ajillo. I was hungry. Don't judge. I cannot remember what my friend ordered. It was one of the combo's that had a fish taco in it. I love the size of the taco's. Just so you know, they are small. Do not expect some oversized monstrosity filled with a lb of cheese and crap that will fill your arteries. Sorry, I was recently told I have high cholesterol so I am on a mission to save everyone. Anywho... I really like that they grill the fish and shrimp. That is the number one reason I will keep coming back. All of the taco's were spot on with flavor. The al ajillo was interesting. I love the pablano's and queso blanco. And it was crispy due to be sauteed in butter, so of course it was good (and now we know why I have high cholesterol). But, I will probably just stick to the taco's. Overall, good patio, good food. The only complaint is that it took forever for our entree's to come out. There was a lot of downtime between our dip and taco's. But, they have the 2-1 margarita's every Saturday and Sunday, so I will definitely be back.
(4)Mark S.
Mom was in town and we were looking for someplace for lunch on a weekday. Let me just say that there is nothing better on this earth than my mom's Mexican food. She is the ultimate authority on Mexican food. If she says it's good, then it's good... and she thinks La Botana is good. OK... so that's Mom's opinion. Here's mine... it's good but not without room for improvement. The salsa could have used a tiny bit more salt. To me, that's the first impression you get of a Mexican restaurant and sets the tone for the rest of the meal. I had the fish taco lunch special, $4.99. Mom had the green chile burrito, wet, $5.49. My coaster-sized fish tacos had pretty good flavor, but the beans, again, needed salt. The rice was decent but not spectacular. The green chile burrito, at first, caught my mom off guard. She is used to the more traditional preparation that does not contain grilled vegetables, such as peppers, onions and even mushrooms. She gave me some to try and I thought it had a lot of flavor. By the time she got to the end, she said it was "good". If you are looking for tacos the size of a dinner plate or burritos covered with gooey mounds of cheese, that's not what you are gonna get here. Perhaps the lack of salt and more healthful approach is a good thing. However, it is Mexican food and, in Tucson, generally you don't consider Mexican food when you are looking for healthy, but it's all good.
(4)Drea G.
Delicious every time! My family and I have been coming here for years with no complaints whatsoever! The people there are friendly and provide fast service, even when it's packed! The salsas are tasty nom nom nom!
(5)Jeffrey A.
I figured I should finally yelp it up about my Sunday lunch ritual. I just loooooooooove it. I always shake a friend up on Sundays, call them early,or whatever, go pick em up and get here at 11. Though this past sunday was SPECIAL cause I was celebrating. What you ask? I was celebrating getting a friend for Mr Meowingtons. She is a girl, rescue of course, but she is SUUCCHHH a ham. I swear she is always putting on a show. So I decided to name her, are you ready for this???? Meowey Cyrus! : ) I was thinking of naming her Linsday Meowhan but since this cat doesn't have tons of DUI's and a drug problem, I figured that was less fitting. Haha...LOL. They do breakfast before 1030 or 11, and that menu appears to have some fantastic breakfast burros on there but I have always done lunch or dinner. I pretty much always sit at the bar, I mean, you know me, right? Lol. Though everything looks good, I always, and I do mean always, get the street tacos. Like I said I usually go with a friend and we get a n bunch of different ones. You can get them filled with any of your choice of 8 different fillings. Without a doubt though, I always get the chicharrones. Also, the chile verde is not to be missed. The shrimp is good too. Oh and don't forget about the Carne adovada. See what I mean about always getting the tacos. Plus, you always get chips and three salsas and their hot bean dip to munch on while you wait. Their salsas have a pretty decent heat to them. And for a chili head like me where nothing is too spicy, that says something. I swear, sitting on the patio on a nice day, it feels like you are down in puerta Vallarta or rocky point or something like that. My friends have enjoyed burros from the build your own section where you just pick everything that goes into them. I of course like the tacos though cause if there is one left and you don't want it to go to waste, you can eat it and the calories don't count. Everyone knows that, right? It's a scientific fact. Kinda like the chips and bean dip don't count as calories either. I mean everyone knows that! The people are always great, the beer is always good and cold. I have even stopped in by myself for lunch on a weekday and ended up meeting some nice people at the bar. For tacos and like, 2 beers, we always get out for around 20 bucks. Can't argue with that! Also, considering the sad decline in Mexican food here in Tucson over the past few years (I'm looking at you Macayos and especially El Charro.), it's nice to have a cool little local place that is free of pretention and always delicious. Plus, they don't try and reinvent the wheel. It's Mexican food, not building a bridge, and they execute it fabulously. P.S. I feel I should address Jennifer D's review where she said it was "just ok" and then continues on to say she had the veggie burrito and soy chorizo. Well duh it was just ok. You got a really mexican item filled with the things that were fundamentally un-Mexican. That's like saying "I went to see 'Phantom of the Opera' but I had them substitute all of the trained broadway actors with a middle school drama club. And it was just ok."
(4)Cheryl M.
Stopped in for lunch with my husband and was pleasantly surprised to see fish tacos on the lunch menu! Score! Not only that but it was only $4.99! The food was excellent but the portion was a bit smaller than I expected. Having said that, it did fill me up just enough so it was perfect. It comes with 2 tacos on the mini corn tortillas with rice and beans. I do believe La Botana has the best rice in Tucson! Know before you go: Don't expect free chips. Although they're .99 they come with bean dip which is incredibly good.
(4)Roger T.
It's Sunday and you had a long week or weekend. You just need that place to sit, relax and unwind? Well this is the place you are looking for with Sunday specials on margaritas...let me rephrase... Humongous Margaritas! Buy one Margarita for one price and receive two of these bad boys! Let me tell you, it will definitely let you unwind and they are not even cheap with the liquor, it will hit you like a train in air! Next think you know you are red and giggly and by dang it was the margaritas! Aside from the margaritas they also have a great chip and dip selections. Which dip choices of guacamole, salsa and bean dip! All these dips are just made right! So you'll have they little finger food to eat while you sit back and enjoy those margaritas. They also have a 5 lb burrito challenge that if you can finish within a certain amount of time, it's on them! If you have a big appetite! Go give that challenge a try! I love it here. I'm usually here every Sunday with friends. So maybe I'll catch you there sometimes!
(5)Joaquin N.
Excellent food, and very nice service. It was a little pricier than I thought, we paid about $45 for lunch, but still worth it. Go in the summer though, it was as cold inside as it was outside.
(4)Elaina R.
As others have said before me, spring for the 99 cent bean dip. The green chile salsa and pico it comes with are amazing, as is the dip itself. Tacos are small but tasty, definitely in keeping with the name of the restaurant. I recommend the carne asada tacos to no end. But what really made me happy at this place were the 30 oz margaritas with tasty chile salt on the rim. Holy moly margarita heaven. On Sat and Sun they are half price, which puts 'em at only $5.50. What. Yes. If I lived in Tucson there would be no reason to be anywhere else on weekends. I would just sit on the patio, order 99 cent bean dip all day long, and sip on margaritas the size of my head.
(5)Christopher T.
Sunday afternoon and the place was packed. Almost always a good sign. We ordered veggie burritos and were not disappointed. Thick, buttery tortilla filled with cheese and a mix of vegetables. Would high recommend.
(5)Corey D.
Well look at you La Botana, helping an amigo like me keep it Paleo anoche! Their chicken in adobo salad is a flavor explosion, and get it without the ranch dressing or queso and you're Paleo good to go! I do wish they used a different lettuce besides romaine, but it's a step up from iceberg, right? I love the outdoor seating area, just far enough removed from the road so it's still private, but still very much a part of the inside due to the large glass windows that remind you where you are. Mary was a peach to light up some heat for us when it cooled some, and though the place was bumpin' at 7:30 on a Monday, she was quick to refill drinks and run our tasty eats. I'll be back Botana!
(4)Nacim I.
My favorite mexican restaurant in town!
(5)Tuyen C.
Food is better than average, but the salsa is way above average. I would come back here again and more frequent if they ever decide to switch out the furniture. Yes, they are that uncomfortable. I'm talking 'bout those flimsy chairs with leather seating surfaces made in Mexico, and tables that you can't put your legs under. But judging from the reviews, a lot of peeps don't mind it. So ... come on out and have a taco or two! The margarita's will help you forget that the furniture sucks.
(3)Jim M.
I absolutely cherish La Botana Grill! Happy hour till 5 pm...$1 bottles of Negra Modelo, Tecate, and Coronitas. And $1 street tacos! I have tried their chicken, carnitas, carne all of which are pretty damn tasty...but their red chile beef is the shiznit, son! In addition the freaking best mexican food in Tucson, the coldest longnecks and sweet happy hour prices...the service is spot on. The wait staff are polite and prompt without overly hovering. Being that they are located on the northeast corner of the intersection...they also have a great patio space that can fit the entire crew. Enjoy!
(5)Joseph P.
Love the margaritas out on the nice back patio
(4)Amy E.
I have been here a few times and each time has been excellent! I really love everything I have ate here especially their margaritas! I think their prices are great for what you get. I will be coming back and will always bring new people to experience great food
(5)Erika R.
Great food. Free wifi which is nice. Wonderful neighborhood place. Outdoor seating was relaxing. Bean dip wasn't anything special.
(4)amber s.
Drove all the way here just to find out that they actually close at 10 pm, not 11 as posted. I called to verify that they weren't open and the lady didn't even know what yelp was!
(1)Molly H.
Dogs are welcome on the patio.
(4)John B.
I was headed to El Guero on Oracle when I decided to stop at La Botana instead. I'm very glad I did. The food, atmosphere, wait staff all excellent. I really enjoy the cozy atmosphere complete with fireplace on the patio and leather seats. I had the zest deskada and my wife had the shrimp tacos. Both delicious and the shrimp was cooked perfectly - a feat that seems difficult for most restaurants to accomplish. La Botana is my new go-to for quality Mexican food. It says something about a place when you sit at your table, look around and realize you are surrounded by big happy groups of people on a Wednesday night with everyone laughing, eating, smiling and having a good time.
(4)Larry B.
We've been looking for a favorite Mexican restaurant to replace our beloved Cocoyaya on Ft. Lowell, which closed a few years back. The food is tasty at LaBotana and it may be what we're looking for. Thanks to Stacy C. who sent us a gift card that we used! I got a bistek diskada for $10 and it was really good. It was meat, cheese, peppers and onions sizzling in a metal pan -- what's not to like? My wife go Cielo Mar Tierra, which is a quesedilla with chicken, shrimp and beef for $8.50. I got a bite and could taste the delicious shrimp really well. We got there at 6:20 on a Saturday night and it was already busy. We were seated within 10 minutes and were glad, because there was a big stream of people right behind us. We got the chips with bean dip -- and it was really good. My wife said it reminded her of lentil soup with ham. The place has pointless flat screen TVs everywhere, which add color to the room, and thankfully the sound was turned off. Maybe they'll turn off the TVs too some day. At least we could talk and hear each other across the table without shouting. The only disappointment was the Amaretto flan, which is some kind of curdlike cheese product with Amaretto spilled on it. The bill was $31.06 before tip and we'll probably go back again.
(3)jd h.
I went alone one evening after spending time backpacking in the nearby mountains. For my first real food in a few days, I could not have done any better. In Tucson, bad Mexican restaurants do not stay in business. This place should stay around. They have this bean dip for the chips that is wonderful. They also have a 'build your own burrito" concept so only a fool could blow it. What makes the burrito even better is smothering the burrito with that bean dip. The service was excellent as well.
(5)Karol B.
good food...good price. Disappointed in the service but other than that the place was good for lunch...you have to pay for chips and salsa which I thought was a little off but I think it was only $2
(4)Heather C.
LOVE the food & Margs here! We went for a girls night out, we all had different kinds of tacos. Chicken, health, beef, shrimp and fish. We all ended up ordering an extra shrimp taco...OMGosh the shrimp taco is to die for. LOVE the margs, they have a special chili salt they put around the rim - deliSH!!! I have been here 3x and I would give this place 5 stars for the food, but 3 stars for the service, hence the 4 stars. It took forever for everything when it was not that busy. If you have time - great place to go!
(4)Ingrid T.
Mmmm....this place is yummy! A friends of ours is visiting town and got a killer coupon for this place so we checked out the reviews and decided this was the place to go. The bean dip amd guacamole is delicious! We are avocado lovers and are always pleased when a place has good guac! Now, my husband had the shrimp and the shrimp were great he however wasn't too thrilled about the veggies but I thought they looked great! Our friend had the special to make La Botana famous with bistek and let's just say how can you go wrong with bacon, cheese, bistek, onions, jalapenos?? Seriously this dish looked great and he enjoyed it. I had the parrillada with bistek and was pleasantly surprised it was soooo yummy. The flour tortillas were good as well and in Tucson you have to have great tortillas. This place did not disappoint in that note! Only downfall to our meal was the service itwasmt great but for killer food I can overlook this. We will meet again La Botana!!
(4)Kenye N.
I am of the belief that not only do we live in a hot, dry desert, but also a desert in the Mexican culinary scene. To an outsider they probably think that is a ridiculous statement. Unfortunately anybody who's actually tried finding good Mexican food here will probably soon agree. Outside of our awesome selection of Sonoran style street food, there isn't much. La Botana enters into an interesting niche. I wouldn't describe it as authentic Mexican cuisine, but definitely the best Tex-Mex I've ever had. It's just like On The Border, only done right and much cheaper! My other half and I can eat there and easily get out for under $25, and that's including a generous tip! As far as menu goes, everything I've had was delicious, but that won't stop me from giving you a few pointers. ORDER THE CHIPS AND BEAN DIP! I'm not sure what they put in their beans, but I think it's crack. And for only 99 cents, how could you go wrong? Their stuffed peppers (Toritos Gueritos) are also delicious. Someday I will order both of those appetizers and feel like even more of a fatty than I already am! As far as main courses go, the Zesty Diskada is excellent. It's kind of hard to eat, and I'd say it's not just zesty, but pretty hot. Pepper fans take caution! The BYOB (Build Your Own Burrito) is where I spend most of my time. I've had almost all of their different meats and they're all good. The BEST? It'd probably be the Chicharron Verde. I mean come on, pork skins in a burrito? Sign me up! I always order mine both enchilada and chimi style. Their enchilada sauce is really great. I'd stay away from their street food, as it's impossible to do it better than BK or just about any place on 12th Ave. I'd also just make my own burrito, their suggestions sound tasty, but when I've seen them they just weren't as massive! La Botana's drink selections and prices look amazing, and judging by the number of people partaking it seems they would agree. They give you buckets of beer, huge margaritas and just about anything else your heart desires. The food at this place deserves FIVE big stars. There are just a couple non-food related things that made me give it a four. The first thing being the parking lot lighting. If you're going to be in a seedy run-down part of town you should have some form of light. The second, and more important thing is the service. I've had stellar service before, but the last few times I've went it was much more disappointing. The servers aren't bad, they're just overwhelmed from what I've seen. They need to bring on one or two more waitresses to deal with the busy times. My one other complaint, which I don't factor into the review (as they can't help it) is the size. They have a massive patio, but if you want to sit inside, there's probably a good chance you'll have to wait (especially in this summer heat!) La Botana has sky-rocketed it's way to being one of my favorite restaurants in town. And it joins my short list of awesome mexican restaurants. If you need to get your burrito fix, I highly recommend making the trek (from anywhere in town) to get it here. PS, don't forget the bean dip!
(4)Andrew B.
[Edit: I hate doing this, but I had to drop the place a star, because while the food and prices are awesome, the service the last few times has been decidedly lackluster. It's never been outright bad, but I can't honestly say that it's been good either, and I can't in good conscience recommend this place to the fullest when I know this crucial aspect may impact other people's experiences more profoundly that it does mine]. I've been skeptical about this place for a while. The location had a seemingly large turnover rate of failed restaurants that, so when this place opened up about a year or two ago, I assumed it would follow suit. Lo and behold La Botana still stands, and so having capitalized on their recent Groupon offer, I indulged last Thursday, and now I can't stop thinking about their delicious food. I have no idea if it's authentic, but I honestly don't care. Big flavors, generous portions, small prices -- this place flat out rocks. A cutely decorated restaurant with way more TVs than you'd imagine in such a small place -- maybe one TV for every ten seats -- La Botana feels less like a standard restaurant and more like the kind of lounge every guy with a penchant for island themes would want for their backyard patio or basement. If I was a Parrothead, I'd probably hold my parties here. Our server was really pleasant. It looked as though there were only two servers tonight, and there were about 12 tables, so considering how much running around they were doing, I was more than satisfied with tonight's service. I should note that Thursday night's service was considerably more prompt than Friday night's (yes, I liked the food so much that I returned the next day), but that's par for the course, isn't it? I inquired about the 5 lb -- and that's BEFORE the 6 tortillas! -- burrito challenge (free if you finish it in under 40 mins, only $19.95 if you don't), and the owner stopped by and even gave me pointers on how to tackle it. Having failed to down a regular burrito in one sitting, I'm pretty sure I won't be winning this food challenge any time soon, but 5+ pounds of burrito goodness for ~$20? That's gotta be one of the best food deals around. Of course, 5 pounds of food means nothing if it tastes like 5 pounds of crap, right? Luckily, La Botana serves up some of the tastiest, freshest Mexican fare this town has to offer. Similar to Eclectic Pizza, this is a place that loves to let the flavor of vegetables sing on their own. No overcooked, mushy veggies here; all the veggies are crisp (but not raw!) and delicious, and their vibrant flavors complements the bold flavors of their meats very, very well. I had the adobado burrito, my guest had the green chile chicharron, and both were met with those awkward bedroom sounds of approval. Best of all, however, was their Zesty Diskada. They claim that this dish is what will soon make them famous, and I believe it. Your choice of bistek or pollo, drenched in a sauce made with bacon, chorizo, poblanos, and tomatillo salsa -- FLAVOR EXPLOSION. Again, I cannot speak for authenticity, but honestly? This dish is right up there with Sonoran-style hot dogs for me. Absolutely brilliant. One word of warning, though: because it comes served over a Sterno wick, it is extremely hot in terms of temperature. A server will come by after a few minutes to extinguish the flame, but if you want to eat as soon as possible without having to endure the exhaling shenanigans that everyone does when eating hot pizza, use your spoon and extinguish the flame yourself after allowing the dish to bubble for a few moments. I really hope I didn't just endorse a fire hazard. In a nutshell, La Botana offers Tucson a fresh, creative alternative to the standard Mexican restaurant with prices that rival fast-mex chains. Definitely one of my new favorites in town... just be sure to go on a weeknight if you want their best service!
(4)Jerry F.
This place is dependable and the food is good. Some of it is even awesome. The service is good and the Friday/ Saturday night margarita deal is ridiculous. Glad it is so close to my house I can walk or ride my bike.
(4)Buck B.
Recently, La Botana offered a Groupon and we decided to take advantage, having heard good things from friends about the little restaurant. I'm pleased that we did. This is a very casual and friendly little place and we even found ourselves chatting with the gentleman at the next table who is a regular. In most restaurants these days that would be quite an accomplishment because casual restaurants tend to crank up the noise level with blaring music and TV's. La Botana had both music and TV's but the TV's were muted on sports and the music was well within comfort level and low enough not to intrude on conversation. The inside portion of the restaurant is actually somewhat small but comfortable. The patio area of the restaurant is much larger and seems to be the most popular seating area by far on nice days. The food is among the best Mexican we've had recently. We ordered the Build Your Own Burrito along with chips and dips and finished the meal with the Amaretto Flan. The BYOB is a massive affair that is tough to finish off. The ingredients were fresh and tasty. This is not your skimpy fast food type burrito! The chips and dips which include salsa and bean dip among others are excellent. In most Mexican eateries you'll get salsa but little else unless you order some special appetizer. At La Botana the cost of bottomless chips and dips is just .99 cents. We finished our meal with the Amaretto Flan. Actually, we hadn't planned to eat dessert because we were so full we really didn't think we could handle it. However, the prices are so reasonable at La Botana we found that even after our meal we had enough on our Groupon to cover a dessert - so we dug in! The flan is nicely done with a very pronounced flavor of Amaretto over a traditional and creamy custard. It was a delight to eat and I'd love to see them do a second version using Kirsch or Frangelica. The service was prompt and very friendly. The staff took time to welcome us as new patrons and answer any questions about the menu. Our visit to La Botana made us fans and we'll be back frequently when in the mood for Mexican food! I should also note, that I learned from a friend who runs a charity that the owners of the restaurant recently donated a large number of fresh burritos for one of their events where they feed hungry people from the streets. So, not only good food but good hearts as well.
(4)Sheila L.
Best mararita's I''ve ever had! The chillie salt on the rim is amazing!!! I went with some girlfriends for happy hour and we couldn't have asked for better drinks, food or fun patio atmosphere. I think the best part though may have been when the bill came, What A Great Price!!!! We will definitely be back soon!
(5)Cindy N.
We used to go to La Botana for many years ago and found it to be a bit of a different style. It was, from what I recall in the past, little tapas type dishes that were well prepared and very tasty. So on our quest to frequent non chain restaurants we once again prepared ourselves to go to it once again. They have a lovely outdoor patio with lots of well placed TV's for those who want to see what game is on. The margarita special was still available and pretty good at that. 2 for 1 and it was a large glass. We found the menu rather hard to pick out a traditional type of choices. A lot of peppers (very spicy) stuffed with shrimp and wrapped in bacon. The peppers were hardly cooked, one tiny shrimp inside with a piece of pretty raw bacon served with soy sauce. I give them credit for the little twist on Mexican food, but I may be just a purist and like chile rellanos, chicken enchilladas etc. Those I didn't see on the menu. The salsa and chips were the highlight for me. You get 3 dishes with the green salsa, pico gallo, and a roasted wonderfully flavorful salsa. We also order the bean dip which is warm and to perfection. Chips were also perfect. Because we are older and sometimes suffer all night with heartburn. Upon getting home we gobbled down some antacids. Just to prepare ourselves for what we thought would be an uncomfortable night. To our surprise, we were totally fine and had no affects from the hot peppers. I don' think we will be back again. I can't really bad mouth the place. I don't want to do that. This is just my personal opinion. The rawish peppers might have been a fluke. I would hope management will take this as a reminder to make sure the peppers are softer.
(2)Carianne C.
I saw Andrew B's review and realized, hey, that's the place I drive past every day on my way to work! So at lunchtime, when my coworker told me she was about to chew her arm off, I decided we should try it out. What a neat treat! I had the zesty discado with bistek, and my friend had toritos gueritos (yellow peppers stuffed with cheese and shrimp, wrapped in bacon - YUM!!). The food was great, tortillas delicious. I recommend adding chips and bean dip to any meal for only 99 cents. Service was great, and overall I am psyched to have a new lunch place to go to! Free Wi-fi! I'd like to come back here for happy hour soon.
(4)Dan D.
I went here for the first time today for lunch. It was awesome. I had the combo plate, that came with two tacos and a quesadilla. The rice was very good. The person I was with had the talapia taco, and that was better than the chicharron which I had. They also have pretty good drink specials. While we were there, it was two for one margaritas. The restaurant itself is very small, but pretty nice. It would be a nice place to sit on the patio if it were cooler.
(4)Jose P.
This Place is great love the sonoran hot dogs!!!
(4)Bonnie S.
This is a real find. The menu is NOT the same ol' same ol' of virtually every other Mexican restaurant in town. Try the Zesty Diskada. Tip: If ordering a Margarita, do not order the large size; it is big enough for several people.
(4)Mo C.
In just a few words FANTASTIC, OUTSTANDING, DANG GOOD FOOD! And One of the BEST Margaritas in Tucson!! This place is truly a destination if you want to try something different, I was there this weekend and decided to try one of their famous Burritos, I had the Burro Percheron! Which was originally from Hermosillo Sonora, MX. I have actually eating the original Percheron in Hermosillo and let me tell you something they are the best, at any rate I was a little skeptical about it because I was not sure if this was going to be the same or what, but it was better! Their salsas are freaking good, and the beans are super good, the entire staff and the owner are friendly, nice people, The restaurant is clean and very good size, I love the combination of moderm flat screens TV's with the mexican furniture and fixtures inside, and out in the patio. Prices are very affordable for any budget, and they have daily specials! If you are working or doing business, they also have FREE Wi-FI for their customers, is a BIG + for me! I know, everyone has it now days but you don't find many mexican restaurants with Free wifi, Give it a Try,
(5)Amanda K.
I had been meaning to try this place for a while, and finally did. Now I can't wait to go back! I got a build it yourself burrito with pollo, and it had great options. The jalapeno's gave it a really great flavor plus a nice kick. The 2 for 1 margarita deal was a great bonus, even if they were kind of weak.
(4)AM S.
I had really high hopes going here and I was kinda let down .I had a margarita, it was decent and I hate tequila. So I assume if I was able to drink it then it was a good drink. I also got the bean dip and chips everyone talks about.. and it wasn't that great. It was very bland and spicy. Much rather have just beans then this dip. I got the quesadilla with the fried pork because our server recommended it. It was so weird. The meat was like eating rocks and had no flavor. I wasn't impressed by any means. My mother in law had a breakfast burrito, and she said it was okay. I didn't find out until after I paid, but if you are military you get a 25% discount! IMHO this is Tucson with a million Mexican restaurants... I don't know if I will return.
(2)Mary C.
We found this restaurant on Yelp & agree with the good reviews. Delicious bacon wrapped chiles stuffed with shrimp & cheese. Could have done without the shrimp....chiles were HOT and yummy. The pescado tacos reminded me of Mexico...great!! Green chile burro was mostly pulled pork, not my idea of a GC burro ...tortilla was perfect tho. Special for the month $2.25 Vicky beer!! Mike ordered posole & totally enjoyed!
(4)James L.
The Green Chile Chicharron Tacos are out of this world. The Chipotle Bean dip is very good too. Combine that with $1 Coronas and happy hour specials and you get a winner. The only reason I held back on a full 5 star was that while the servers were congenial, getting food to the table was slow.
(4)Carol N.
I really like La Botana. It is a small, cozy restaurant with good food at really good prices. I like that the food is flavorful without being too salty. And they're fish tacos are grilled, not deep fried! So yummy! The staff is very nice and attentive. You will love it!
(5)Dorie S.
Great staff! It is tiny place, but cozy I had their salad and tacos, delicious, their tortillas are really good! I highly recommend this place to anyone!
(4)Mr P.
Not sure if my recent experience was indicative of permanent change, but encountered some less than pleasant service along with food that was not consistent with MULTIPLE previous visits. It was one of those experiences that motivates me never to return. I may, but not soon. If you ever order salad, ask that the dressing be on the side. If they do not allow that, saying that the salad is made FAR IN ADVANCE, PASS on the salad!
(2)Marie M.
They have the best Chicharron tacos in Tucson. And great Margaritas!
(5)Lauren S.
This place rocks. Amazing, inexpensive food and great service. Both their tacos and salads are my personal favorites. The margaritas are the best in town! And strong! Ask for Celeste. She's the best!
(5)Kara P.
Ate here with a friend mid afternoon, so the place was not that busy. We had the bistek tacos which were good . The carnitas tacos were excellent and the bistek caramelo was good. It seemed a little pricier than other places close by for the similiar fare. They do have an outdoor patio that looked like it would be fun outside at night.
(3)Alyson H.
This is honestly my favorite Mexican food in Tucson. Great price, great atmosphere, great everything! The shrimp tacos are out of this world, and your meal starts off right every time with their trio of salsas and house-made bean dip for only $1. I can't stress enough how much I love this restaurant. The patio is great for a big party and there are ample flat screens to watch sports. Staff is great, food is great, everything is great. Go here, you will not regret it!
(5)Dena E.
I had some coupon thingy and decided to use it here by ordering some dishes we never would try otherwise. Splurged on a steak and shrimp dish and some appetizers and was surprised how amazing it was. Sometimes you forget mexican food is more than just tacos and burritos.. wonderful server also! As always.
(5)Ciara M.
Very good tasting and affordable. The margaritas are strong and anything with shrimp in it is amazing. Also, the beans are really good. I am so glad my friend introduced me to this place. I actually read a review about the service not being so hot. I agree...especially at lunch time. But, I guess the food is SO good (and affordable), that the poor service didn't bother me.
(4)Simon P.
Try the 5lb Buritto. Wowewowwow bring friends and come during happy hour for the 1$ mini beers to wash the prego burrito. If you can eat this on your own it's free
(5)Sherry H.
We went there for Super Bowl Sunday and they have tons of televisions, great ambiance and a very friendly staff. There were five of us and two of ordered the 2 for 1 margarita (grande) that could have been shared by all five of us! Huge but so delicious! We got an appetizer and all shared that and then each of us got our separate tacos. They were the best! Then unfortunately we had to share the Tres Leche cake...we all wanted our own!!!
(5)L K.
La Botana has become one of my favorite places to go, the patio is great, especially for groups. I love getting the Sizzling Parrillada Traditional, a platter that comes with quesadillas, their delish bean dip, and then platter of meat served with tortillas, cabbage, pickled red onions, and grilled green onion. I really like the red chile and the pollo. My only complaint...they can be pretty stingy with the tortillas and salsa, which is pretty odd since they are so cheap to make, if you ask for more they will charge you.
(4)John B.
Food is absolutely amazing. They have really great carne asada. I highly recommend this place!
(5)chris h.
GO GO GO get the Red chili!!!!!
(5)Funkdoobiest B.
Food is sooo good and an awesome place that makes you feel welcome. Service is pretty good and food selection is big and its always fresh and hot. I really like that they don't use a lot of salt in the food!! Its one of the best in Tucson. They always have a good mexican beer special too for like $2 so help you wash down your grub. And they keep the web site updated with new specials. I see now too they have breakfast on Sat and Sun from 9-2.
(4)Claire H.
For Mexican food in Tucson, this place is just not that great with so many other choices. I like to support the locals, but after trying this place twice, I would prefer Chipotle, Nico's, El Charro, La Salsa, Rubio's, etc. The atmosphere is quaint enough, but the food did not deliver.
(2)Jason W.
A group of us were in town for business and found this place via Yelp. The service and food were amazing. The chips are 99 cents but comes with assorted salsa and an awesome bean dip. The build your own burrito with bistek was perfectly done. My coworkers raved about the zesty diskada. All in all a restaurant worth visiting.
(5)Kimberly H.
Love this place. Cute patio, great food & good sized portiions. I'll be a regular at lunch.
(4)Jen W.
Holy smokes, I love their burros! Their salsas are delicious and come with take-out. There's something that other wannabe Mexican places and fast food places cannot compare with... Almost chimichanga like tortillas, grilled jalapenos and mushrooms and green pepper and chicken - delicious! Like their burros!
(4)Joe F.
First off, I went here due to the lack of real good Mexican food at good prices in this city. I took the Yelp recommendations and took my family here on a Saturday night. I did think the internal atmosphere was very cozy and fun. Just make sure your party is four or less because you will never be able to fit. I believe maybe this place sits 40 people. As far as the food goes, nothing to write home about. I paid 3 bucks for a taco that couldn't feed a Hummingbird. My son age 9 wanted a bean and cheese burrito, they did not have this and when they brought him what they could make up, it was whole pinto beans and cheese. I don't have to tell many of you that this doesn't fly with most kids. To top it off the whole thing exploded on his lap when the liquid from the beans leaked out the bottom of the burrito. The price was more than the food was worth. On a very positive note, the 99 cent chips with bean dip and a couple Salsas was worth it. All that being said, I will not be back.
(2)J V.
I am one hard ass mofo to please when it comes to a restaurant. I LOVE this place. To be honest the service has been a little up and down and the food presentation depends on the person in the kitchen but I have not been disappointed by taste yet. I used to frequent La Parilla Suiza but when they upped their prices and changed the food (why mess with a good thing?) I stopped going. I was looking for a new Mexican place in town to call my second home and found La Botana. The margaritas are consistently good and all of the menu items I have tried have been outrageously good. I go there about 3 times a week and won't be stopping any time soon...unless the food changes. The a la carte menu is to die for...with all of those choices of meat I wish there wasn't such a thing as being full. As far as the appetizers are concerned the stuffed yellow peppers and nachos are my faves. I would recommend this place to just about anyone. Though they are on the intersection of two main streets their patio is a must also. Thank YOU!!!
(5)