Tinto Cocina - Cantina
901 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN, 55408
Tinto Cocina - Cantina Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
901 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN, 55408 - Phone (612) 354-2130
- Website https://tintompls.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 1:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : 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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Michael L.
Very good upscale Mexican food. Nice decor (wood/industrial with some colorful touches). Very professional, efficient and helpful service. Had: - Mahi dish (very good, grilled mahi with sweet potato puree), - Sangria (great and generous), - House Margarita (margarita with apple brandy and spicy habanero mix, good), - Victory 901 drink (Aperol, smoked bitters, tequila, Victoria beer - good, though a bit watered down and did not taste the smoked flavor), - Barbacoa tacos (very good, shredded beef with mole flavor), - Fish tacos (very good), - Guacamole and chips (very good), - Salsa (pretty good, a bit unusual in that it came out very hot, like a soup). Will be back.
(5)Iris H.
I went here on weeknight eve with my boo and we had a lovely time. We ordered the shrimp ceviche which is a Latin American ceviche rather than the Mexican kind you see most often. It was yummy. The shrimp were laid out rather than cut up and lightly decorated. The tacos left something to be desired because they were tiny baby tacos. They were literally as small as baby hands. Luckily the lemon flan redeemed tinto. I would go solely for this dessert. It was the best flan I have ever had, hands down. The flan was toddler size so you'll want at least two. As l'oreal would say: you're worth it.
(5)Rachael A.
If you are looking for Mexican in uptown/lyn-lake then here's the spot for you. Definitely skip Salsa a la Salsa and head over to Tinto Cocina and Cantina! Quick service (like 5 minutes for our food to come out!) and awesome food for a good price. We got the chips and salsa which unfortunately isn't complimentary...but good nonetheless. The salsa was fresh and had the perfect amount of heat. Could up the portion but I could eat chips and salsa all day. The tacos (only $10!!!) were spot on and the corn tortillas were perfect. I got the carnitas tacos which had pickled red onion (yum) and the boyfriend got the fish tacos which he really liked too! We also shared the sweet plantains which were my favorite part! They are pretty sweet and deliciously caramelized... I could've eaten the whole side by myself even though it is a pretty generous portion. The ambiance is much better than Spill the Wine (former tenant) and it was pretty busy on a Friday night. The cocktails sounded super awesome so I will definitely be back to try a few of those! If you are looking for awesome Mexican food look no further :)
(4)Carrie B.
Went for lunch on a rainy Friday afternoon. We were one table of three in this big, new restaurant. While slightly overpriced, it was good. The $8 guac was tiny but good, and the spicy margarita my brother got was big and tasty. I had the steak salad with chicken instead of beef, and it was amazing. I tried the vegetarian torta and that was pretty delicious, especially the plantains on the side. There were two highlights: 1. House-made hot sauce. They called it "His" and "Hers" but had yet to decide which was spicier. Whichever one we had was perfectly spicy. 2. They were installing a mouthwash machine in the bathrooms because they anticipate lots of people going on dates there. I personally haven't ever seen this before, so it was a highlight for me. Like I said, it was being installed as we were there, so I didn't get to experience it, but will look forward to the final product. Will I go back? Maybe when I'm in Minneapolis next. It sounds like happy hour might be a good time to check out the options. Also- I should mention the service was fantastic.
(3)Ken D.
Came here with a colleague while visiting the Twin Cities for business and we made a good choice. The atmosphere is easy casual and the service is just right. But the food is the star attraction and the kitchen produces highly creative, delicious plates. I'm coming back!
(5)Daisy N.
We had the Ropa Vieja -OMGOMGOMG. Food orgasm. Then we tried the shrimp ceviche -seriously SOOOOOO much shrimp we wondered how they made money on this appetizer. And so yummy! All the taco's are so good -we've tried them all. The sizes of the taco's are on the small size -which I prefer. They're PERFECT. Each taco flavor is different and worth trying them all! My fave Mexican-fusion restaurant by far.
(5)Julie K.
Pretty good food and reasonable happy hour. I wouldn't want to drink there when it's not happy hour...$7 taps! HH is only $4 or $5. Service was friendly and fast.
(4)Guacamole E.
Excited to have a new(ish) guac option in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood - it's taken me a while to make my rounds to Tinto and boy, have I been missing out. The Tinto guacamole is a superb, creamy guac topped with a tangy pico. Be warned: it is also served with an unassuming salsa that looks like a smoked chipotle but is actually super sweet. Not bad - but sweet.
(4)Ana T.
Went here on a weekday night, casual but nice atmosphere. Humble, kind service. Meals were delicious though a bit pricey. Tried the quasadilla appetizer and cubana torta... which came with some fun plantain chips.... loved the food.
(4)Erin G.
The brunch crew came in here on a Sunday because of a list about "best new brunches in the Twin Cities" and I am a sucker for a good brunch so I suggested we try it. I made reservations, but that was completely unnecessary, because the place was dead. There were maybe 2 other tables in there at 11 am on a Sunday morning. Why? Maybe people don't know they serve brunch? Anyways, I got the bloody Maria and it was fantastic. Made with tequila instead of vodka. It was STRONG and spicy and delicious. I was torn between the latin benedict and the huevos rancheros but decided to spoit with my girlfriend so we were able to try both. I liked the latin benedict better and she liked the huevos! The breakfast potatoes were basic and I wasn't a fan. Service was good. Our server was friendly and attentive. Bonus: in the bathroom they have a mouthwash dispenser! That's a nice touch.
(4)Tracy A.
EPIC FAIL- STAY CLEAR Let me just start by saying me and my sister went on Sunday afternoon around 3pm... it was not busy at all.... 1. We asked if we could sit outside... there was only one open table out there and they said that was fine...It took about 15 minutes to be acknowledged by service staff and we finally went back in and asked if there was going to be someone coming out? 2. They brought us waters and ok, this is going to sound super strange, but my sisters glass smelled like dead fish. No joke. We didn't say anything we just pushed it aside but the glass was obviously dirty. 3. We ordered salty Chihuahua's which is actually my drink of choice and we ordered grapefruit, I've never seen an option for orange, but hey, I get it, get creative? Anywho...Waiter brings one orange and one grapefruit and neither have salt on them. mmmkkkk..... So we told him they were both supposed to be grapefruit and they are supposed to have salted rims. He brought them back and had them redone... NOTE TO TINTO OWNERS: If your going to actually print it on your drink list... know how to make it. 4. We ordered chips and salsa, which took about 30 minutes to get, ok. Not a big deal... BUT THEN WE NEVER SAW OUR WAITER AGIAN!! Our waiter comes out and says someone told him to grab our check? We didn't ask for it, we actually wanted food and a drink but apparently this restaurant is doing so well hey don't want to feed people or provide service? I highly doubt this place will make it when there is about 20 Mexican options in the 55408 zip code that are much better. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER
(1)Pam R.
LOVE this restaurant! First time diners tonight and we were so impressed. Food was excellent and so fresh (we all ordered tacos and sampled each other's, as well as a couple orders of the elote - delicious!) Cocktails were outstanding (up to and including our Spicy Latina nightcap - highly recommended! It's not on the menu so ask for it - you won't be disappointed). Also sampled the ropa vieja which was sooooo good. Service was wonderful, especially our bartender Tom. We would happily go back in a heartbeat!
(5)Amy C.
Fantastic tacos and a perfect size for ordering several different kinds for sampling. The girls and I were ready to eat our hands by the time we arrived at 8 PM. Not crowded and the hostess seated us right away. The only disappointing part of our experience was the lack of urgency on our waiter's part. He was really...dry. The only time he displayed any real emotion was when he walked in as we were mocking someone for claiming their favorite Chinese restaurant was LeAnn Chin. That at least got a grin and chuckle out of him. We waited a bit too long for our drinks, two of the Especial Margaritas. I would have cheerfully waited longer, though. Delicious! A nice amount of spice, warming not fiery. We filled up on guacamole, a steak torta and three different taco orders. Hard to screw up guacamole and it was excellent here. The salsa was a bit like spicy ketchup, not a highlight but passable. The steak torta was a revelation. So much flavor, absolutely delicious. The tacos were great. The chicken were my least favorite, but they were good, too. Next visit, I plan on tackling the appetizer menu. Based on other Yelpers visits, we missed some real gems.
(4)Catherine B.
Incredible all the way around. Caipirinha & Pisco Sour - Whoop Whoop- Spicy Latina for a kicky dessert drink! Ropa Vieja - Best item of the bunch. Tacos incredible too! Let's do the wave for "Larry"! We'll be back.
(5)Leah G.
Came back here last night to take advantage of their happy hour and was a little disappointed. My first experience was great but this time it was just all right. Ordered three steak tacos off of their happy hour menu for $9. I felt that was a bit pricey since at other Mexican restaurants you can usually get 3 for ~$6 but I was hoping they would be good enough to be worth it.. Sadly, they weren't. They were very small and I was still starving after I ate them all. (See picture for size). Their homemade tortillas are good and the toppings all were delicious but I felt a little cheated paying $9 for the such small and not filling tacos. I guess if you want to have an appetizer and then a meal then it is a decent deal but if you are hoping to have tacos as your main dish I would head elsewhere where they are bigger for cheaper.
(2)Sarah M.
There is a mouthwash dispenser in the bathroom. Its the best thing over. Anyway, back to the food. Yes, they are going to talk forever about their handmade tortillas, but YES, they are fantastic. And yes, every review talks about the fish tacos, but YES, they too are sooooo good. The prices are a little steep, but the food and drinks were top notch, so I'm okay with it. The space is cool and they have a teeny-tiny patio out back, which we say at (and were then forgotten by servers at). This place is something unique on Lake Street, so I hope they stick around!
(4)Emily R.
I was pleasantly surprised with my visit to Tinto. I went over happy hour with a few of my coworkers. We went on a Monday and I was surprised that it wasn't very busy. I started off with the house margarita on the rocks. It was strong, but not too strong. I liked it. For dinner we all got the fish tacos and they were amazing. They had homemade corn tortilla shells and the pickled cabbage was delicious. The fish tacos are usually served with a habanero aioli, but I asked for the chipotle aioli on the side (I'm a huge whimp when it comes to spicy food). The chipotle aioli is awesome and I tried some of my friends habanero aioli and it wasn't very spicy at all! The only thing I didn't like was that the shells were so small that it made eating the tacos very difficult. I defiantly would not recommend getting the fish tacos on a first date unless you're very good at not making a mess out of your food. Overall our server was super nice and attentive and the food was great. I'm excited to go back and try the nachos, they look awesome!
(4)Jason B.
Stopped by with a group of nine, everyone in our party was very satisfied. Service was great and the food was even better. We will be back!!!
(5)Jesse D.
Enjoyed a Saturday lunch here. Had no problems finding a seat and were welcomed with attentive and friendly service. We ordered the Quesadillas with chicken and the Torta Cubano and both were excellent. Had a few opportunities to talk with the owner. She is proud of her restaurant and her staff and it shows. She is excited to share what they are doing here. When she found out that we had not ordered tacos, she ran to the kitchen and had them make one pork belly taco for us to try. It was great. We will definitely be back.
(5)Jonathan T.
A first glance at the menu might make one outraged that the prices for a dish fare much more than those found at a traditional taqueria. For example, a taco at Tinto Cocina, on average, is about $3.33 (3 for $10). However, after factoring in that the corn tortillas are made daily, fresh ingredients are used, and that they're going for a refined take on Mexican food, prices are absolutely justifiable. Welcome to the neighborhood, Tinto. You make the best tacos in Uptown. But it's not just the tacos. Practically everything made there is thoughtful, beautiful, and most importantly, delicious. Let me break it down: I. FOOD *Barbacoa Empanadas: They come out in four per order. While there's a bit too much dough, the barbacoa is masterful. Whatever marinade they use rocks, and each bite is packed full of flavor. I love the sauce they drizzle on top, too. **Pork Belly Tacos: Overall, they were tasty, but my least favorite overall. I thought the pork belly could've used more flavor, and they could've gone without the pepitas. They cooked the pork belly very well, though. **Fish Tacos: The server highly recommended them, and I'm glad he did. I have to say, they were probably the best fish tacos I've had in Minnesota. Why? They weren't overly fried and both the pickled cabbage and avocado complemented the pieces of cod very well. Highly recommended. ***Coconut Lemongrass Flan: The server also recommended this dessert -- over the Tres Leches -- and it was heavenly. Unlike the traditional round and opaque and jello-y flan (which I love, BTW), Tinto's is more cake-y. Not to mention it's also showered with cinnamon crunch (which is like a sweet oat), and beautifully presented. II. DRINKS I forget the name, but I had one of their drinks with tons of lime and maybe some other bitters. This is not very helpful, but they did provide enough alcohol to make me temporarily forget that the weekend was 2.5 days away. III. SERVICE My server was super awesome and provided some excellent recommendations. He also didn't try to oversell anything. The food came out super fast, too. IV. ATMOSPHERE This place screams happy hour, and the inside is gorgeous. They put some work into the fixtures, flow, and setup. There's about three bars and plenty of seating. I like. V: OVERALL I would absolutely return, and I can't wait til my next visit. Did I mention the fish tacos? They are spectacular.
(5)Rebecca A.
I'm right down the street to this new restaurant, and having just moved here from Oklahoma, I have been CRAVING good Mexican food. While it's different than most of the Mexican restaurants in Oklahoma, it is certainly not worse. Their upscale food is delicious, as are their martinis and margaritas. If you're really feeling like splurging, indulge in some flan!!! So so good, definitely not something I would normally buy, but it was well worth it. Rebecca, who I believe is the manger, is incredibly professional and compassionate. Service for me has been great each time I've gone! Yum yum
(5)Birgen H.
Not sure if it's my style but my family loved it. I came here with my brother and parents after visiting the corner store so we decided to try this out. The menu is very small and slightly pricey for how small the dishes are, and I was disappointed to see hardly any vegetarian options. Maybe this is normal for Mexican food, but since the menu is so small I'm hoping they expand with some veg dishes so I could order something that isn't like "the chicken ____ with no chicken". What's the fun in that? Nothing looked great to me and I wasn't too hungry so I just ordered the chips and salsa for my food. They were fine but when I had about 5 chips left in the basket, the server took it and said he would refill it, but he never returned... We were there for an hour or more and he just never came back with those so I was disappointed. Hardly had any food and he takes the last 5 bites away :( My mom got the shrimp ceviche; I didn't try it but she said it was great and she let me have some of the plantain chips and they were good. Not salted or seasoned but I love plantains so they were fine plain anyway. Besides the server taking the rest of my food away, the service was very good. A manager checked in and asked how our food was, and our waters were being filled constantly. Oh yeah, the last thing I didn't like is we were seated at this high-top barrel table and it's really wide and solid so the only way to get comfortably close to your food is to widely straddle the table... Couldn't do that with 4 of us so we had to lean forward really far to take a bite and it was just really annoying so if you go, sit at the short tables!!!
(3)Erin B.
My only question is why isn't this place busier? Granted, we stopped in for dinner on the early side because we now have a newborn in tow, but wow- I thought the food was excellent (we had guacamole and split the fish and chicken pibil tacos) and the house margarita certainly fulfilled a craving I've been having for several months now! The staff was attentive and helpful. Service was fast-- almost too fast, as this was the first time I've been out for dinner in a month and would perhaps have wanted to savor it a little more. But overall it was a nice experience and I'd love to go back!
(5)Zarina M.
Great service! Our server was on time, and the back server was very pleasant and filled our drinks numerous time through the evening. I probably will not get the meatball appetizer again. It was just poor form on my end to think getting italian food at a latin resturant was a good idea. The nachos on the other were amazing! Super tasty and flavorful. I ended up getting the pork belly tacos and I was very impressed with size of the pork belly but the taco was missing something, a crunch factor perhaps. With so many taco places opening up around the city you really have to be creative if you want to stand out. The prices were very reasonable, but will I come again. Likely not, as I said previously.. there a a dozen taco places around the cities. This one just didn't hit the mark for me.
(4)Micki C.
I have always liked this space. Staff was pleasant and it seemed the owners/managers are very hands on as everyone checked in on us, not just our server. I never reached the bottom of my coffee cup. Food was good--I went for brunch and tried the chilaquiles. Hearty portion and eggs cooked to perfection. I'm much more interested in trying their lunch/dinner items than going back for brunch.
(3)Remy N.
We went during happy hour and each had the red and white sangria that was watered down and lacked the full wine/fruit sangria flavor. The atmosphere was comfortable and rustic and the service was fine but slow. We ordered the guacamole and chips along with fish tacos and carnitas tacos. The guacamole portion was small and didn't have the that sunny lime, cilantro taste. The fish tacos were heavily battered and lacked the light flavorful crisp like batter which makes a great fish taco - the avocado was sliced a little too big to fit the one small corn tortilla. The flavors in the carnitas taco fared better, but it wasn't great. The guacamole was average as well. Do not need to go back. There are better places in the Twin Cities to have Mexican food.
(2)Blake K.
Terrible. The taco's are tiny and dried out. And who wants to pay $7 for tap beer at a mexican place? Terrible value for what you get in both food and drink. Even happy hour is a joke. Make the trek over to Hola Arepa, Pancho Villa or even Lil Tijuana. Overall bad experience, I hope the next establishment at this location gets it right.
(1)Katie C.
Our first impression of this restaurant was great... until we got to the end. We were planning on going to Lago Tacos for some amazing burritos but we decided to give this place a try. Prices seemed reasonable enough! We sat down, found out it was happy hour, which made it even better. Ordered the Flautas, Nachos, and the Sweet Plantains. All three were delicious and all 3 were $5 each. We even had started the meal off with a refreshing lemonade/iced tea. The server was OK, but we figured she was busy with other tables and maybe was having an off day. Our food sat under the heat lamp for probably a maximum of 3 minutes, so not bad. We did have to flag her down for lemonade/iced tea "refills" though. We asked for "refills" and she gladly filled them. The problem came when the bill came. We rung up as $27.xx. I wasn't sure how that had happened because I was expecting maybe $22.xx. Three plates at $5 each and two drinks that couldn't be more than $2.50 each right? Well, I guess there were no refills! It was another $2.50 for another glass of lemonade/iced tea. I get it, maybe they had artisan tea and lemonade that they were serving that it actually warranted another $2.50 per glass, (not really because it wasn't THAT good). But the problem is that she didn't WARN US! Where was the disclaimer that it was an extra $2.50 for another glass? Who doesn't offer refills, at least at a discounted price? When I brought this up to her, that she should probably warn people that there are no refills (in a nice way, I wan't mean about it, I was once a server, I know how it is). She just gave me a condescending smile and scuttled away. There was no, "sorry about that, I'm super busy today" or a "that is a good idea I'll definitely do that from now on". I can safely say that it is way better to warn people up front than have to deal with the aftermath of a mad client. I've been her before, I've been a server. I had to tell a lot of people that we only offer 1 refill per lemonade or iced tea. It's not that hard. Maybe she was just having a shitty day, or maybe she had a customer in the past give her a hard time about it. Whatever the case, next time just warn people. Also maybe just fit that non-alcoholic drink list on your menu! Anyways, we will probably go back for the food, mostly the flautas and the plantains, but we will be prepared!
(3)Beverly B.
Last night I needed to pick up an item at Penn Cycle and decided to walk around a bit to check out the new businesses in the area. I was in the mood for a taco so I thought I'd try Tinto's for a quick bite before going back to St. Paul. Once there I ran into an old girlfriend having drinks at an outdoor table which made the experience kind of fun. Inside the people at the bar were warm and welcoming, I ordered fish tacos - they were easily the best I've ever had. The tortillas are made when you place your order which normally I don't eat but these I did and every ingredient in the taco was just as fresh and tasty. I will go back to try more items on the menu and have a drink this time.
(5)Lis L.
The food was good. This place is close and I like what they've done with the space, so I really wanted this to be a five-star review for me. Unfortunately, the service I got was poor enough that I'm not sure I'll be back unless they iron out whatever issues they're having. I know a lot of this is probably because they're still relatively new - but we had two waiters somehow while we were there during happy hour on 3/21. One waiter was very attentive and friendly, if distracted - the other would linger and stare at us but not actually provide any service. It was confusing and made both of us feel uncomfortable - we weren't sure who we were supposed to order from. We had periods where both waiters would stop by within 45 seconds of each other, but then would go for 15+ minutes with no service at all. This can be attributed to scheduling issues, and I would look past it - but the next part is really what stuck in my craw. We were sitting and having a conversation, and people kept taking stuff off our table - including our water cups and napkins. We felt like we were being hustled out - and there was nobody waiting for a table, and we'd been there around 40 minutes at the max at this point. What if we had wanted to order something else? We would have had to ask for a menu and been brought out all new silverware. When we did pay and were putting on jackets to go, they started cleaning the table WHILE WE WERE STILL THERE. My friend's coat was still over her chair when they moved it back into position, and they swept crumbs off the table in the general direction of my bag. I understand that maybe we weren't the largest bill of the evening, so maybe they felt like they needed to get us out so they could get someone there who would spend more money. But it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to feel forced out of a restaurant, especially after uneven, mediocre service. I really hope they get it together and fix these issues, because it would be great to see a restaurant succeed in this space.
(2)Glen D.
Just amazing. Todd the bartender makes kick ass drinks. The service and food are top notch. Probably my new favorite restaurant in Minneapolis!
(5)Joey F.
This place was good, but I feel like it has a lot more potential. I found the service to be really friendly, but extremely slow. Took a while for them to take our order, bring us the bill, etc. I found the food to be good, but the tacos are very small so be ready to order a lot of food otherwise you may leave hungry. Will definitely be back soon to try it again.
(3)Kristin M.
So much potential, but the service will likely be the cause of it closing. The food we ordered was tasty, don't get me wrong. But everything else about this place is a joke. We arrived and were seated by a hostess. We were seated near the bar where a group of people were hanging out. She brought us a menu, and joined the group by the bar who we now assume are the employees. Apparently there wasn't a server or she couldn't find them, and took our drink order. Another person dropped off our drinks and disappeared. The beer was warm. We literally put ice from our water to make it drinkable. We ordered food, it came out pretty quickly. The prices are a joke. $1 off for happy hour. SELECT ITEMS. We had 2 different servers, both inattentive. When it was time for the bill, it became clear that our server was not interested in tips as he "clocked out" without checking on us or asking for the bill. Normally servers want to get tipped out before they go home, so we found this super odd. He was just hanging out with the group at the bar. Eventually the bartender brought us out bill (which was super wrong) and we left. No one in our group plans to come back. Who ever is running this bar needs to organize the staff and kick them out at the end of their shift. I know what the service industry is like, but when your bar is open for another 2 hours, don't let your staff hang out and party. We ran into the hostess and terrible server at the bar next door after we left.
(1)Dan Q.
When we think of "Mexican food," don't we usually think of food from the poor dusty desert of northern Mexico? This ain't tortillas and salsa, SA. Tinto is EXCELLENT food from the more "Central American" part of Mexico. OMFG is the Ropa Vieja delicious! I don't recall anything quite like it - and that was just an appetizer! Do be fair, there were come hickups...like the waiter completely forgetting to bring the drinks we ordered. But because Tinto had only been open for two weeks (and this was a busy Friday night), I'm willing to bet they were still getting into their groove of things. Seeing the smile on our faces from the great food (I had the Cubano, very good), the owner came and chatted with us. She's a very sweet lady who really takes joy in this restaurant. She really cares! Tinto has earned our next visit. Oh, and get the plantain chips!
(5)Ron J.
We went for the Mother's Day brunch buffet. I was hoping for something different than the traditional Mother's Day buffets. We found it and it was very good. The food was fresh and delicious. Our 2 1/2 even found plenty she liked on the buffet. The service was attentive and friendly. Our server Brian took the time to stop by our table for a friendly chat. The owner greated the guests at the buffet and welcomed us at the table. It was one of the most friendly experiences I've had at a restaurant. We'll go back in the future to check out the regular menu. The buffet was $29.95 for adults which is competitive. That included champagne and mimosas. The kid's price is $12.95. That's great for 12 and under but for a 2 year old maybe a bit much. Some other places have a 12 and under price and a further discounted price for 5 and under.
(4)Liz G.
I wanted to love this place, but there are honestly far too many superior Mexican spots on Lake Street. They won't be as pretty as this one, but the food will be much better and less expensive. The space at Tinto is very nice and staff is friendly, but I wasn't especially impressed by the service. We sat ourselves and grabbed our own menus and silverware. Had to repeatedly request refills even though the place wasn't busy. We had guacamole which was fine. Pork belly tacos were fine. The hand made tortillas are the excellent, but doesn't make up for small plates with big prices. Bottom line, I'll definitely pick midtown global market over this place in the future. I was pretty disappointed while paying our bill.
(2)H J.
The food reminded me of my travels to mexico. The chips and gaucamole were fresh and reminded me of my travels to Mexico. If you love tacos, you must try their homemade corn tortilla shells. Everything is worth the price you pay, hand made, fresh, and authentic. My only negative is that they don't sell those corn tortilla shells, which they should. We were also lucky to visit during a quieter time of the day and the bartender let us watch the wild game on both tvs with the volume on.
(5)Aaron B.
Excellent Mexican food. But when you read "Mexican food" don't think boring and standardized. These guys are the real deal and they make everything themselves. Very friendly and enthusiastic staff. For late night try the nachos or the tacos. Both are excellent. This is probably the best place within a several block radius.
(5)Kate R.
Amazing!! Awesome service, one of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to. Very chill atmosphere
(5)Nicole F.
Will definitely be back! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive staff. They were genuinely happy to have us there. The food was amazing and we only had appetizers and dessert. I can't wait to go back (soon!) to try the entrees. Anything with the barbacoa will be great (nachos, empanadas) and the chorizo empanadas were excellent also (though I wouldn't have minded them with a tad more chorizo filling.) Finish with the chocolate torte and you won't be disappointed. Everything made from scratch in the restaurant (empanadas dough had the perfect flake). Happy hour house margaritas ($5!!) were yummy, and surprisingly packed a punch.
(5)