La Fondita II
2620 N Proctor St, Tacoma, WA, 98407
La Fondita II Menu
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Address :
2620 N Proctor St
Tacoma, WA, 98407 - Phone (253) 752-2878
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
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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Ellie B.
My husband and I tried this place for the first time and were disappointed by our experience. First of all, we tried to arrive at 5:00 so we could catch some happy hour food and drinks, however, with a baby we could sit in the bar and the happy hour prices and specials were only served in the bar. The regular menu is very pricey, expect to pay $15 per entree. The atmosphere felt a little strange. There was only one other party of two while we were there and without any music or anything it was really quiet and felt weird. The service wasn't bad and the waiter was sweet, but the waiter took a while to refill drinks and get our check. We don't plan on returning but it was nice to try and see what the hype was about.
(3)Henry S.
We have been faithful patrons of La Fondita since it opened in Tacoma's Proctor District a few years ago. The food was reasonably priced, and the quality was one cut above the Tex-Mex chains in the area. A business associate and I have been meeting in the bar for the past three years for debriefing sessions, our clarity achieved through consumption of La Fondita margaritas. Our most recent visit brought a number of disappointments. Scanning the menu was an exercise in sticker shock. Main entrees now run around 15 dollars, and the quality of the food has declined. The Happy Hour menu ($5.00 an entree) includes no healthful options, and the sauces taste more generic. We hate to do it, but we'll be looking for a new place.
(2)Tyson P.
I'm sorry but I have to award this restaurant with a two star review. First, the food here is very good. This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in all Tacoma. The reason I have to give it two stars is because of the inconsistent hours. On three different occasions my wife and I went here and the doors were locked up despite the sign with the hours listed saying they should be open. I'm not talking about they close at 10pm and we showed up at 9:55 and it was closed. Two of the times was after noon and we went for lunch. The other was around 6pm on a week night. I get that sometimes you run short staffed or have an emergency but at least put a note on the door. I recommend them if you want some good food, hopefully they will be open when you get here.
(2)Jeff G.
Most Mexican restaurants suffer from a case of "Too Much". Too much stuff on the menu. Too much cheese. Too much sauce. But not here. The menu (at least for lunch) is very small. A few combinatons, a couple of salads, a couple of specialties and a small choice of Enchiladas. The Enchilada Ranchera is not a cheese booger, sauce soaked thingy. It's a nice dusting of cheese and just enough sauce to give it some flavor. It's also a cheerful, upbeat looking place. Perfect for lunch and a margarita on a gloomy Tacoma afternoon.
(4)Jay H.
I've been coming here off and on for years and I've always enjoyed my meal. I've had burritos, enchiladas and a whole slew of other entrees. The portions are pretty good for the price and they don't skimp on the meat in their dishes. There's a restaurant section that you enter through one door and a bar you enter through a separate door (there's a wall separating the two sections). I've only ever eaten in the restaurant on a few occasions but it's been fine; just like any other Mexican spot you'd try. Typically I sit in the bar so I can watch the game while I eat. They bring out chips and salsa to your table and I would recommend getting the bean and cheese dip as well. The service leading up to taking your food order can be a little slow but there's often only the bartender handling drinks and food orders so it's to be expected. All of the staff are friendly and I really enjoy their food. It's a cool little spot in the Proctor district so if you have a hankering for some good Mexican food then La Fondita II is a great spot to check out. I'm a fan!
(4)Karyna B.
I have been to La Fondita many a time and keep coming back for more! It's difficult to find close to authentic Mexican food in Tacoma, but this restaurant takes it to another level. I have success coming here on weekdays between 430-5pm and on weekends. The service is always great and the bartenders are awesome. I love the salsa they make for the usual "Chips & Salsa" you get at a Mexican restaurant. I normally order the Enchiladas Verdes.....so yummy and great portions. They make great margaritas as well. An awesome bonus is they have a points program where you can reap the benefits of free dips for chips, appetizers, or sometimes a free entree.
(5)Jd F.
The service was good. The food... Not so much. I ordered chili relleno and it was seriously a pepper wrapped with a tortilla with cheese on top. No stuffed anything. Nothing like a chili relleno at all. It was the saddest Mexican meal I have ever had. My fiancé ordered the pork carnitas, which was a bit more flavorful but for almost $17... Not enough pork or flavor or anything to justify the cost. It's really too bad since this place used to be great but I won't ever eat here again. The price is not worth what we were served. The star was for the waitress. No star for the food.
(1)Randy W.
This place sucks! After being almost pushed into the bar for Happy Hour, along with my 11 year old son, we were forced into ordering off the dinner menu, after having been offered Happy Hour food. The host(ess) was WAY too flamboyant; the bartender was the slowest on the planet; the salsa was WAAAYYYY too spicy; the atmosphere was too dark, chips were stale. Need I say more? Of course... Took approximately 35 minutes to get nachos and tacos. Food sucked. The manager didn't care. She tried to give me a bill after this HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! This place should not be open for business, especially when there's only 6 customers in the whole restaurant!!! 00000000 Stars for this dump!!!
(1)Corinne P.
Well, after reading the reviews from this place, it looks like a hit or miss type of place. The other half and I went up to the bar and sat down. The bartender took a glance at us and began to talk to I'm guessing they were regulars. I asked how does the Dos XX Amber tasted. I got a snide remark saying that it's dark. So we started to look over the menu. I was debating on what to get. I was gonna go with the enchilada and tacos, but I look over to the "regulars" and the lady had the thing that I was debating about. Lets just say, it looked like a cheese mess. I automatically declined to even attempt to purchase that meal. After finishing my first beer, the bartender came over to take our orders. I got the carne asada and the other half got a burrito. Now, this place was not hopping at all. There were probably a total of 10 people in the bar and a hand full people in the non-bar section. We proceeded to wait about 45 minutes for our meal. The bartender not once came over to see how we were doing. She just kept talking to the "regulars". Finally our food comes out, and I made a bet in my head with the service here, it's probably cold. We took a look at the meal and the other half's food was just cheese and sour cream. My carne asada was burnt and tough. I took a few bites and just gave up on it. The "friendly" bartender did not come over once to ask how we were doing. She just ignored us all the way until we wanted our check. The whole meal cost 52.00, the worst 52.00 spent on this crap. I will not go back, it's not worth my time or my money. I can find a better place to get decent Mexican food that doesn't cost an arm or a leg.
(1)Trevor W.
I've been there a handful of times and it always seems like they are understaffed by at least two servers. The servers they have are fine (albeit a little stressed out), they just don't have enough of them. It takes forever for everything. Drink orders take 20 minutes and kid food comes out AFTER adult food. I urge the owner(s) to add staff. Let me know when you do and I'll happily give you another try and an updated review. :)
(1)Carrie B.
We're locals and have been there a handful of times. Each time, the service was abysmal, unfriendly, and at times aggressively rude. The food is boring and bland. The atmosphere is cold. A few weeks ago, our family went there for the last time. Get your act together, La Fondita! You're in the best neighborhood in Tacoma, act like it.
(1)Cassandra G.
Love this place. Good food and always wonderful customer service. Chips and salsa is most important to me and the chips are always fresh and salsa is great! Good happy hour too.
(5)G H.
OK, I have to admit I am a little bit of a Mexican/ Tex-Mex snob. Living In New Mexico and Denver for many years I like to think I may have a true review of this "Mexican" place. I grew up on homemade pork green chile, barbacoa and chicharrones. In fact, living in Tacoma has put me in such a serious withdrawal from edible Mexican food I pretty much make all of my own Mexican food now days. Back to the restaurant, the standard for determining the quality of a Mexican place is to order some enchiladas and of course get some green chile on your dish. This place disappointed on both fronts. First, when I ask for green chile, I don't mean "green salsa" I almost fell over laughing-hahahaha. Unfortunately this is the second time this has happened to me in different "Mexican" restaurants in Tacoma! So I order what should be the safest thing on the menu, some beef enchiladas. They then proceeded to cover it in canned el dorado (or some other shitty canned sauce) green enchilada sauce. It was limey, acidic and way over powering of the rest of the meal. I scraped it off and wanted to return it, but I had no time to order another meal. No self respecting Mexican cook would EVER put that crap on any dish. CONS: 1. Food is not Mexican, it is average ingredients poorly prepared, covered in pre-processed shit. 2. Little on the salty side (sign of immature cooking) 3. No idea what green or red chile was (WTF this is a Mexican place) 4. Cold canned sauce- that only someone with no tastebuds could slop down their throat without vomiting. 5. Shredded beef was over cooked and dry, but at least I could eat it... Pro: Black beans were OK, no flavor, but at least they were cooked correctly. Conclusion: Stay away from La Fondita, or any place that claims to be a "Mexican" restaurant in Tacoma or the surrounding areas. In fact from my experiences the Tacoma should just stop opening all Mexican places because they are so far all horrendous! It is a total waste of my money. I have not had a decent Mexican meal at a restaurant in this state in 2 years, I will never recommend this place or ever eat here again. And don't be confused by the other reviewers that actually rate this place as decent, either the place has changed immensely in the last 12 months, or more likely, those people are typical PNW casual diners that have never eaten traditional, homemade hispanic food. GROSS!
(1)René F.
I was here last week with a coworker, it was my first time. I loved the size and decor of the place, very comfortable. I had the two chicken enchiladas rancheras lunch special with black beans and I really liked it. It was light, not heavy or greasy, with a good presentation topped with sour cream, a red salsa and sliced black olives. And I really enjoyed the chips and salsa. The service was great and we were well looked after. I'll certainly keep this place on my list of good places to eat when I'm in or around the Proctor District of Tacoma and I look forward to trying other items on the menu.
(4)Chelsea Laine H.
The service was great (fast and attentive). Good selection of mixed drinks...was happy to see a skinny girl margarita (although I didn't try it...next time!) The chips and salsa were the only thing that could have been better. Some people have said the chips tasted stale, I actually think they are hand made as I have had many times. The salsa tasted more like enchilada sauce. Its a little pricey but the food was cooked well and tasty. I had the veggie enchiladas with brown rice (nice touch!) and black beans. My husband got the steak tacos and they asked how he wanted his meat cooked which we thought was AWESOME as well as what kind of peppers he wanted in them. This was our first trip to this area (Saturday 8:30 PM) at night and we were surprised how sleepy the intersection was and how much older the people around were around us. This of course has nothing to do with the restaurant just an observation of Proctor District vibe at night.
(4)Angela E.
Service is pretty slow- this review is based upon 3 visits at different times. Never real fast, once someone was selling something - not sure what, they mumbled and spoke so softly don't know what they were saying. The mole was pretty good once, not as good later. It gets sorta loud and your crammed in pretty close. Foods ok, somewhere between mediocre and wow this is great. For me in all my visits 3, we went because it was close to the dry cleaners LOL, so it could have been anything- as long as it was close to the dry cleaners at the time.
(2)Sandy N.
Haven't been here in years and years. My first wasn't good. I am happy to report I was nicely surprised by many things including the attentive service by Rion . He made sure we wanted for nothing. Decor is classy Mexican. The food was seasoned well and flavorful. We will definitely be back and maybe try the bar area.
(4)N H.
Never going here ever again, service was horrible and slow, food was mediocre and overpriced, never recommending them to anyone.
(1)dan g.
A good spot for decent mexican food. The staff is friendly, they have prompt seating and clean tables. I love their chips & salsa which is a hook for me. We've been twice now and had good meals each time. We are looking forward to having this place on our list for regular quick meals.
(4)Brandon J.
I would start out that our service was great. The food however was just ok. Especially for the price. I did not leave there feeling that the money I paid was worth the quality of food we got. I could have gone to a dive and got better food for a third of the price. The margarita was ok. I was told the make their own margarita mix, but again, nothing fantastic. And as mentioned before, the chips do taste store bought, cheap store bought chips in fact. I doubt I would return. It just did't do it for me.
(3)Laura O.
LOVE this place. We go regularly. It's a smaller more authentic Mexican restaurant. It's a smaller shop and waiting longer should be expected but the food is worth the wait! Honestly, the queso dip with mushrooms is one of the best things I've ever eaten. This is a great non-chain restaurant to enjoy in the lovely proctor district
(5)Todd B.
My wife and I went on a Saturday night, and it was like traveling back to an early eighties Mexican restaurant, back before people started making more authentic-tasting Mexican food. I half expected, at the end of our experience, that the owner would turn out to be a guy with a Magnum PI mustache who would invite us over to his hot tub party so we could listen to the new Hall & Oates. My wife and I sat down at the bar and given the menus, laminated pieces of paper that were falling apart and dirty. I had begged my wife for Mexican food, so I didn't let on that I thought that was a bad sign. Decor was fine. The place is clean and well-lit. Service was slow. My wife and I finished the bowl of chips and salsa they put in front of us and waited twenty minutes to order. After we did order, I was able to finish two beers in the forty minutes it took to bring out our dishes. The staff must have seen us shifting uncomfortably in our seats, as they came over while I re-read the menu, having picked it up from a rack of menus. The bartender took the menu away from me and asked if we wanted more chips. We said sure. I assume something had gone wrong with our orders, but nothing was said to us. My wife asked the bartender if she could get a second beer, specifying that she wanted something dark. The bartender said "we have Dos XX Amber and Negra Modelo." My wife and I peered around the bartender at the other taps, one of which, Deschutes Jubelale, we both knew was a dark Winter beer. I looked up at the bottle selection. "Do you have any other dark beers?" My wife asked. "We have Dos XX Amber and Negra Modelo." The bartender repeated. "What about La Bohemia," I asked, seeing it among the bottles, "Is that a Vienna Lager?" "We have Dos XX Amber and Negra Modelo," the bartender repeated. Ok, things just turned weird, apparently. My wife ordered the Dos XX, and it made its way over from the taps in five minutes. When our food arrived, I knew I had picked a bad place. My wife's steak was rubbery, over-cooked and flavorless. My burrito was swimming in what tasted like Prego spaghetti sauce and about two cups of sour cream. When I bit into it, it too was flavorless. I asked the bartender for hot sauce, and she slapped a bottle of Tapatio onto the bar. My wife gave up on her steak nearly immediately. No server asked how our food was. The bartender ignored us until she wordlessly delivered our check. My hope would be that this spot is either updated, and the staff encouraged to be friendly, or it's replaced with something better.
(2)K B.
I thought I'd give La Fondita a second try. Sure wish I hadn't. We had a craving for Mexican food, Masa was full with a long wait. I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise that La Fondita was quiet on a Saturday evening. A family near us left as we came in, and two servers were discissing how gross the mess was (small kids make messes, it happens.) The chips tasted like stale store-bought chips. The salsa was like watery store-bought salsa. The enchiladas (both veggie amd meat) were decent but what is up with the rice, La Fondita??? Gross! Almost crunchy, flavorless...I could make you some minute rice in about, oh I don't know...A MINUTE that would taste better. Our server was nice. We won't be back. I'd rather wait an hour at Masa.
(1)Alden C.
I have been to La Fondita II twice now. One of the first days I lit in Steve took me here. The restaurant is placed in the very cute Proctor neighborhood amongst lots of various shops. The first time I was here I got the Chile Rellenos. I thought the dish was pretty good but could have stand more heat in regards to spice. The chiles themselves had a good taste to them aside from that. The portions are generous and I took some of my meal home. The second time I was here was on a Saturday. Sometimes I forget what I am getting myself into on a weekend when I go out to eat or go shopping on those days. The place was very busy. Almost full. I could not remember if I had to wait to be seated or not so I looked for a sign indicating as such. There was not one. So I took the liberty and sat down myself. A waiter discovered I needed a menu after sitting down after a short time. I decided on the Tostada Supreme I believe it was called. I waited a while to get my order placed as well as getting the food and getting the bill and finally getting my debit card back. I cannot fault the waiter. He was running back and forth to other tables and the times he did come to my table he had sweat running down his forehead and temple. I kind of felt sorry for him. There were other wait staff too and they seemed just as busy. I am no restaurant manager but they could have used more wait staff from the looks of it or maybe something was going on in the kitchen which caused the delay. My tostada was one of those large tostadas that was a meal in of itself. Not the ones you order a la carte or with combinations. It tasted good and fresh and had a fine amount of veggies and all of the fixings on it. Normally with tostadas you do not look for spice and there was not all that much so I could not ding the dish based on that. I will indeed go back to La Fondita but will swerve away from it on the weekends unless I have nowhere else to be.
(4)Travis V.
I used to go here twice a week for over a couple of years. My life changed from a childless young man to a married guy with a child and I see some of the downfalls of La Fondita. If you are used to your average Mexican fare, price and service, this place is not that. The interior is beautiful, both the bar and the restaurant are classy, cozy and comfortable. I think the bar is larger than the restaurant. The salsa compares to most generic Mexican spots. However, the menu is full of great plates at expensive prices. I often order tacos or bean dip because I am stubborn and have a hard time paying 16 dollars for Mexican food. But, I have eaten the majority of the items on the menu over the years. The bar is decent, and there have been some awesome tenders of bar over the years. But, the last couple visits I felt ignored and my salsa was not being refilled as often as I had hoped. I do not eat here anymore. The service is slow and it is not kid-friendly in my opinion. If your child makes a peep, the whole dining area can hear it. La Fondita is different. But, not different enough to make it special or an attractive option when I'm hungry for Mexican food.
(3)Joshua A.
This place is pretty hit or miss in my opinion. Some of the waiting staff tends to not be very helpful and the food is sub-par. However the bartender that I had most recently was helpful in the aspect of helping us choose which drinks we might want and keeping it coming. I really only come here if I really want Mexican food and I don't want to drive anywhere.
(3)Kyle M.
Our favorite Mexican restaurant in the Northwest! We love La Fondita! We find every excuse we can to go there. Both my wife and I order their arroz con pollo. When I was drinking, I loved their margaritas! They have always been very cozy and romantic. Even when we have brought our kiddos, they have been welcoming and friendly. Our favorite servers know our orders by heart and say hello to us when they see us around Proctor. A family restaurant managed with pride, no question about it. We will happily eat here for years to come!
(5)isaac t.
I spent 35 bucks without a tip on two terrible entrees to go from here Friday. I understand they may not focus their efforts on the to go experience but I was disappointed by the food and my review is based solely on the food as a result. I ordered a chicken chimichanga with rice and beans. The chimichanga was Luke warm and covered in sour cream and olives. I've never ever seen black olives on Mexican food before. The chicken tasted like plain boiled chicken. The pinto beans were closer to baked beans. It was a really bad meal and I was hoping it would fulfill my San Francisco standard of simple Mexican food. My girlfriend had chile relleno and said it was slimy, bland, and taster not fresh. This was a terrible experience, and a letdown because I like many other nearby businesses on proctor. The next morning I also had food poisoning before my rugby game which most likely was due to this food.
(1)Kristine B.
Great food, but what topped it off was the excellent service we had!!! We go out a lot and have many bad experiences with sloppy service at other restaurants , and were overjoyed with "Steve". Remembered sides, kept drinks full, and tented to our kids as well.... Thank you Steve for a great night out!!!
(5)Rick L.
We love the food and setting. Both our kids like their food. It is always fresh. The known problem is the time it takes to be served. Don't go there if you're in any hurry. The nachos are great.
(4)Elle M.
The place is pretty good - if you go on the right night the mango margaritas are excellent. The food also is fine with a decent selection. The neighborhood is really the draw, and it all works out: it's a small walking neighborhood, and this place is right next to the Blue Mouse Theatre.
(3)Ken M.
Excellent freshly made food, great service, and reasonable prices. Highly recommend the pork verde and the black beans!
(4)Andrea B.
My husband and I frequent this place during lunch hour. We're usually there right as they are open. We have dined 4 times in the past several months and we always have prompt service for the lunch hour. Our server is attentive and quick to get our order in to the cook. The food is excellent. I highly recommend you look at or ask what the lunch specials are. They also contain great portions for the price you pay. Chips and Salsa are also great.
(4)Bo H.
We've only tried this place once, but It was pretty great. My wife loved the mango margarita and I thought the salsa was spicy without too much cilantro (apparently I have the genetic defect that makes cilantro taste like soap). Prompt, courteous service. Large portions even without the beans and rice. Once we've gone a few more times I'll definitely bump them up to four or five stars provided they maintain the quality.
(3)Jeff E.
I love this restaurant, in fact our entire family of four does. My ten year old son loves everything from the enchiladas to the fish tacos. My super picky eight year old loves the tacos and quesadillas. My wife can't stay away from the flautas. I've had everything from the nachos to the veggie burrito to the arroz con pollo. Never left this place unsatisfied. Contrary to other reviews, the bar is not bigger than the restaurant. The back half of the lounge is actually roped off, and large parties/families are able to use this place as well. This is good Mexican food. Not greasy like others in town (El Toro)... Fresh and well prepared. Keep it up, La Fondita. We love what you're doing.
(5)Justin R.
On December 26th, I took my wife and 4 month old baby to eat dinner there at around 6pm hoping for a better than average Mexican dinner. Instead, after ordering chicken fajitas and a burrito we waited for 30 minutes only to be told by the server who rarely came by, that they were short staffed that night and that the was almost ready. So we waited... And waited. 40 minutes after ordering our food we told our server that this was unreasonable and that we would like to settle up our tab for our ice tea and lemonade - not expecting her to actually charge us for the drinks considering we waited for the last 40 minutes. She tried to assure us that the food was still "almost ready" but gave me the bill. My wife asked her why she didn't use this as a chance to try to make things right with the customer by sims writing off the 2 dollar drink tab and she said "well, he asked for the tab." Jeez. At a certain point the quality of the food doesn't matter because the service was so terribly frustrating.
(1)India B.
The staff is super nice and very accommodating. The black beans are tasty and I love the vegetarian fajitas! The points club is also super generous! I will keep going back here again and again!
(5)Mary Ann T.
The food was really boring. The service was slow but very friendly. We like spicy food and this just really had no flavor. The wait person was super friendly but it just isn't the line of work this person should be in, must be able to multi task! Took a very long time to get chips and salsa, never checked back again, we asked for more salsa and the person made many trips past our table without it. We also asked for hot sauce to try to help out the taste and they didn't have any of the traditional "el tapatio" or "cholua"... Not sure how to spell those..they brought us spicy soy sauce, weird huh? One of our entrees was just not worth eating. Would not go back. A reply to Willy: I didn't ask for the meal to be taken off, I just didn't eat any of it, it was not consumable and i didn't want to wait any longer. I had a buy one get one free coupon. We left an extra large tip, like I said, the food was less than good and the service friendly. Seriously, you count how many chips are delivered and remember one guest four + months later?
(3)Sunshine S.
The food was delicious, spiced just right and full of fantastic tastes. Service was punctual and friendly. The feeling of the space was a modern romanticized South America. Our meal started with warm chips and a fresh salsa. My water was filled on time and the waiter was attentive and kind. I liked that the waiters here treat this as if it's a fine dining establishment. Our server was full of energy and very pleasant. I ordered a mole. It was sweet and deeply flavored, very delicious and rich. My friend explored a huge burrito (I don't remember what it was called.) It was crammed full of wonderful beans, meat, rice, fresh cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, and more! We generally don't go to the Proctor district too often but we had an "entertainment book" coupon. I'm glad we tried this place. Without the coupon I don't think we would have ever even known it existed. We will be coming back again and enjoying more menu items. I loved it.
(4)Mark M.
Wow, this was terrible food. We made the mistake of not checking Yelp before going there and everything in the bad reviews--bland food, slow service is correct. The food not only was bland but it didn't taste at all like either Tex-Mex or Mexican. The only decent food was the salsa which was reasonable. One other positive was the waiter was friendly. The chicken fajitas were weird and not in a good way. Instead of strips of seasoned chicken breast, there were what seemed like extruded tiny chicken pieces with no seasoning and a chewy texure. The overall flavor was both bland and a little 'chemical-y' No Tex-mex flavor, no cumin. Onions and peppers were unevenly grilled. The rice was flavorless and very dry. The refried beans were bland and kind of gross. Usually chicken fajitas is a safe thing to order in a new Tex-Mex place but this place managed to really mess them up. Then, we tried the House Specialty, the halibut fish tacos. This also was a mistake. The halibut looked good with big chunks, but the fish was either way overcooked or very old since it was dry and stringy. We tried the pinto beans on this dish and they tasted very bland, like a can of pinto beans was dumped on a plate. What makes it even worse was that the prices were higher than typical for a Tex-Mex restaurant. Which would be ok if the food was good, but it was not even normal quality...but instead very, very bad. Run away.... run far away.
(1)C V.
We finally decided to go back and it was a nice experience though a bit longer than expected. The food was tasty and the portions were just right. We don't like large portions so it was just right for us, though it may be smallish for some. The service was terribly slow even though there were only 3 other tables and the bar was empty. It took about 45 minutes to get our food. Sadly our server wasn't really around to refill drinks or chips and had to be flagged down (as others were doing) while we waited. Not sure why this was. The specialty margarita prices are high at $13.95 so I opted for the regular margarita at $9.99 and it was tasty for sure.
(3)Lindsay W.
Ordered guacamole dip and didn't have chips. We had to wait until our entree was served just to get a chance to ask the waiter for chips for the appetizer we ordered (guacamole) that was in a small side dipping bowl for 6 dollars. Finally we got our food after waiting for 20 minutes and had to ask for silverware and napkins .. Then several minutes later we got our chips for our appetizer. I ordered a grilled chicken quesadilla and I simply asked for grilled and got shredded chicken. Our server only ever came to our table when she handed us our food. Never came back to ask if everything was okay or if we needed refills. Finally got the check! Will NEVER be back again.
(1)Tae L.
I can't say that I'm very fond of La Fondita. I stopped by with some friends after work and we each ordered a drink and an entree. All of the entrees ranged from medicore to average in flavor. The cost of the entrees was around $15. in my opinion, overpriced food and nothing memorable about this restuarant.
(2)Jane B.
The best two things about La Fondita are the convenient location and the margaritas. The food is often hit or miss. The wait staff is very good. I'd go more often if the food were more consistent.
(3)Bella D.
first off, i really like the food and where it is located. i live in browns point so it is a bit of a drive for us. the food is fresh and tasty. second, i would have given it 4 to 5 stars but from the opening of this restaurant until now the wait for food is terrible. when we bring our friends who have never eaten here we alway warn them about the wait. we have been in the restaurant when no one else is there and we still have to wait about 30 to 35 mins for our food. we keep telling ourselves the food is worth it but it gets really old. we talk ourselves out of going that far for mexicanfood.. we end up loading up on chips and dip because the food takes so long in getting to you. i wish they could fix this problem. its been that way since day one. the wait staff is so/so when it comes to personality. both lunch and dinner are the same as far as wait time.
(3)Katy S.
I want to like this place more, because it's so close to home, their menu is a bit different than the mexican chain down the street, the decor is cute, and the staff seem nice and attentive. I had a pretty good chile rellenos, and their black beans are really tasty. However, the rice tastes like it's from a box, and my husband's tacos had absolutely the toughest, driest chicken I've ever tasted on them, and were kind of bland as well. Tasty salsa.
(3)Archie P.
My wife and I were here on Sunday, 12/18 and we sat at a table with a view through the kitchen window. While waiting for our meals, I sat and watched one of the cooks standing in the back of the kitchen chopping something. About every 30 seconds, the cook would reach out his hand, pick up some food and shove it in his mouth. Then he'd lick his fingers and go right back to chopping. Can you say, WALKED OUT?!?
(1)Patrick L.
This is a great place to catch a game and throw back some tequila at the bar, or just grab some Mexican fare. I had the tacos which were very close to taqueria style. The chips and salsa are quite good too. The owner is super friendly too.
(4)Dave O.
Decided to hit La Fondita for a bite. Just returned from El Paso, so had a different appreciation for Mexican food. Overall, thought the margarita was okay & the food was not bad (not comparable to the border). Guacamole was a little suspect & rather bland. Entree was not bad, but nothing special. The most disappointing part was the cost - way too expensive, given that I just had much better food for the fraction of the price. Split an entree and they were nice enough to plate it on two plates, but charged an extra $2 - not the extra $1 quoted by our waiter. That and the audacity to charge a buck for an extra 2 tortillas. Really? C'mon is this really how you want to nickel & dime people. How about good food that would make people want to come back? Two thumbs down for this establishment.
(2)hugh h.
Happy hour here is the BOMB! Friday nights you've got some guy playing the guitar...pretty cool. Saturday nights it's karaoke night...really cool. They've got Longboard Beer on tap...just like Hawaii Five-O! And the staff is good, especially the bartender...... And their Carne Asada....damn...to die for, really! Two thumbs up (and 10 toes up too) for La Fondita! You rock!
(5)Tina T.
I ate at La Fondita a few years ago and I and my dining partner weren't impressed. A few weeks ago I had nachos and drinks (good margaritas) with a friend and they were okay. Then I had an impromptu family dinner on Friday two weeks ago and it was great. We had a kinda big group of seven which was no problem and it was crowded and busy which was just right for our rowdy family. The food was way better than we'd had before-flavorful and zesty and everyone enjoyed their dishes very much. Also things seemed less expensive than before but maybe that was the interesting, cinnamon-tinged tequila talking. We'll go back again for sure. The only down side this time was the close proximity of some waiting diners who lurked over our table with sour expressions for a while... We wondered if there has been a change in management or new chefs in the kitchen? Anyway-it seems like things are looking up!
(4)Dub T.
Nice little spot across the street from my favorite movie theater. This restaurant is cozy and the service is pretty good along with the food. Great atmosphere and they have a nice looking bar that is separate from the dining area. Their prices are not too bad and the portions are generous.
(4)Jeff L.
Things are looking... down. We've dined here several times before -- and have generally liked the food and service. Until tonight. It took over an hour for us to get our food (not the fault of our excellent server, I know). And while my wife's enchilada with mole was excellent as usual, my burrito asada tasted noticably like... ...butter-flavored non-stick spray. And did I mention it took over an hour for our food to arrive?
(2)Dee B.
The best Mexican food hands down in Tacoma. I've taken my family here a dozen times. Comfortable and warm. The food is great quality every time. And the service is fantastic. See you all soon.
(5)Emily R.
Thank you La Fondita (and my lovely server Kathryn)- you really know how to help a vegan survive in a land that rarely even has vegetarian options. The debate when I come home, where to eat in Tacoma... with "the vegan." After much debate I called La Fondita and asked if they could accommodate vegans. Kathryn placed me on hold and ran back to the kitchen to make sure that the Ranchero sauce would provide me with a vegan sauce option- once my ability to eat at La Fondita was confirmed, across the bridge we traveled and what a meal it was. My mom and I had Cadillac margaritas which were pleasantly strong. The guac and salsa were both chunky and the right amount of spicy and the pickled jalapenos at a dollar a cup were just yum. I was able to have my pick of the vegetarian section of the menu (barring chile rellenos) with ranchero sauce. I chose the vegetarian "enchiladas," added spinach and sub'd for whole wheat tortillas. They had brown rice to avoid the chicken stock, and animal free yummy black beans. I live in LA currently, so when I dine out I wind up consuming my fair share of Mexican, and my food at La Fondita was probably the best mexican-vegan food I've had yet. Their willingness to accommodate was refreshing and made me feel both comfortable and welcome. My brother and parents can be picky eaters and they cleared their plates, so this leads me to believe the food is pretty good all-around. Tacoma vegans- show some love, everyone else go because the consensus appears to be this place is pretty delicious.
(4)F A.
Short version: Bland food, overpriced for what you get. Service ok but not very professional. Not going back. Details: When we walked in we asked the waiter who greeted us about parking in the closest lot (behind the Starbucks), because it wasn't clear if their building was part of the complex. He just said, "I don't know. I don't think anyone's been towed." He didn't ask anyone else, and I did feel it was strange, because they must get asked this often, given their location. It would be a good idea to know the answer! Chips and salsa to begin with were ok, but it went downhill from there. We both had the chicken fajitas. They were pretty greasy and 99% green bell pepper and onion (the cheap stuff). The chicken (what little there was) was extremely bland....no spices I could taste, so I'm guessing the red color was paprika, perhaps? The black beans had no spices we could taste, either.....very bland. I made them somewhat better by putting salsa and lime on them (and on the fajitas), but still pretty mediocre. Rice also under-seasoned. Guacamole was ok, but little of it. Flour tortillas adequate, corn tortillas really terrible.....dry and mealy and NO corn taste whatsoever! Grocery store corn tortillas are superior to these. There's no excuse for bad tortillas in a restaurant of this sort! The prices are pretty high here for what you get, especially because the content is so cheap. Given that there are lots of choices for decent Mexican in Tacoma, we're going elsewhere.
(2)Jee H.
I recently visited my sister-in-law who lives in Proctor and we decided to have lunch. The interior was much larger than I had expected as the exterior gave me the impression that space was limited. There were three other groups there and one of them was a large group. I had my newborn son with me in his mondo travel system stroller and there was plenty of room there for him. Chips and salsa were out right away and they were pretty good. Service was a bit slow but it appeared that only one server was working. I order the two item combo -- two beef enchiladas, one sprite and water. My total was $11.91. This was one of the few places where you could choose what beans you wanted...I prefer black beans and they were pretty good. The portion size was perfect...not too much, not too little. Overall flavor was ok but definitely not woo woo. I was a little disappointed with the service as he didn't come back to check on us and didn't offer "anything else" -- I always like to have some hot sauce but it was fine without it. Like I said, he was the only server so I guess he did the best under those circumstances. Would I go here again? Sure -- but it wouldn't be my first choice.
(3)Mo H.
Finally tried this place Sunday night. I love decor insides, great colors and art on the wall. Our server was very friendly as well. Although my husband and I thought the food was a bit pricey it was really tasty. After reading another yelpers review I tried the Chicken Mole, and I'm glad I did. It was delicious! It was extremely favorable and had the perfect amount of rice. My husband ordered one of the house favorites, tacos with beef. I can't remember what it was called but he loved it and thought it had a nice kick as well. I would say that the salsa is definitely not the best I've had, tastes like Pace Picante. : ( We'll definitely be back to try it again!
(3)Allen B.
The wife simply loves this place so we go there whenever we're in the area. Even she was a little disappointed this time. Got there about 30 mins after they opened and the chips were stale. Obviously they didn't bother frying new ones in their morning prep. The chile relleno and enchilada were nice but a little small. First time I've ever left a Mexican joint hungry. The rice was great but the black beans had absolutely no flavor. Asked for some green Tabasco. They had one bottle that another table was using so she brought us a bottle of Emeril's green sauce that was a year past pull date and it had a metallic taste to it. Luckily I only put a couple of drops on my food so it wasn't completely polluted by that nasty shit. I wouldn't say I've absolutely given up on the place, but I'm certainly in no big hurry to go back.
(2)Mr. C.
Had dinner on a busy Friday night. The dining room was almost full, yet we were seated right away, by a very friendly hostess. The service was excellent. My ice tea was fresh brewed and always topped off. It is not fast food. It is authentic Mexican, and my burrito especial was excellent. Our waitress was the best. (Kathryn?) It is family friendly, so there may be a small child at the next table, but we were all small children once. My wife's Chicken releno had just the right amount of seasoning. This beats the chains by a Mexican mile.
(5)Jill E.
Not totally authentic but tasty. Had a soft taco with black beans and sauteed veggies. had a bit of spice which was nice to keep it from being bland. Mom had the same thing only with shrimp. Had a choice of flour, corn or whole wheat tortilla and you got two of them along with a side salad. More than enough for dessert. Don't know if the service at dinner is better but it's pretty slow at lunch and even though Mexican food is pretty speedy from order to the table normally, this took about 20 minutes to get to us. Not sure if it's because it's prepared to order or they are just slow. There were about seven tables full so perhaps this little place will survive the economic downturn.
(4)Lori R.
Food was good but took for ever to come! Probably won't go back.
(2)A M.
I have never given a review of 1 star but the experience at La Fondita on Sunday was just too disappointing not to say something. Two unacceptable things happened: one hour wait for our food (there were only two other tables that were occupied at the time) and Halibut fish tacos were $25!!!. I realize it said market price but for $25 you can get filet mignon in a good "neighborhood bistro" in Seattle! I am not really sure why the experience was like this but it was bad enough to stop me from giving it another try. Waitress did the best she could but seems like she should have advocated for us a bit with the kitchen staff. I was there with my daughter who lives in Tacoma and she and her husband had been there a couple of times with no negative experience but yesterday was bad enough that they will most likely not go there again.
(1)Karen L.
I really didn't care for my meal here. I had soft tacos with chicken. The tacos had some shredded chicken, a little cheddar, and lots of shredded ice berg lettuce. It was really bland. The rice had bits of really dry grains and the beans were also flavorless. My friend had the chicken mole and when it came, it was a little embarrassing...tiny shriveled up pieces of chicken in a pool of mole. I hope the sauce was good at least. The chips tasted as if they were fired in rancid oil. Also, this place is not cheap for Mexican. The only good thing about this place is the Mexican beer on tap.
(1)S S.
Ate here for over 12-13 years.First off you can be in business this long without doing something right. Second, Carne Asada Burrito, Nachos, Fish Taco's are my fav's...Whats up Willie and Dan...Mi casa es su casa!
(5)Ben C.
Not the most authentic Mexican food, but definitely better than Mazatlan or one of the other local chains. They do have a couple standouts on the menu, but you have to know what to look for, and the service was awesome both times I went in there last month. Over all, the place is a very pleasant, safe place to take a date or just go with friends. I definitely feel safer taking some of my picky friends here rather than some of the Mexican places i love just because the other places would scare the crap out of them. and the food is alright here.
(3)Hirsute S.
We went in for dinner Friday night. The specials board by the front door showed scratch margaritas for $10 so we order those to start the night off. Half an hour later they arrived at our table with the explanation that they had run out of oranges and had to go to the store for more. Excuse me but this is a Mexican restaurant with a special going on margaritas, you'd think they'd have the ingredients on hand or lacking that ask if we wanted something else to drink. What they did was leave us sitting with a basket of chips. We get finally got our drinks and order dinner, things are looking up right? Wrong, it took a full hour for the food to reach our table. The place was busy but this is Mexican for we're talking about. The food was OK, not great by any means. Prices were high, I don't think I've ever paid as much for Mexican food. I think the most amazing thing was everything on the seafood side of the menu was "market price". Market price for fish tacos, never seen it before. The place was very loud; it was actually hard to hear the waiter. So to close the night out an a fitting note they charged us full price, $12, for the scratch margaritas. I don't think they could have screwed anything else up. I suppose the food could have been terrible instead of average. La Fondita seems to have a bit of an attitude going because they're in the Proctor district. This is just an overpriced Mexican restaurant with average food and poor service.
(1)Sean V.
oh well what can i say about la fondita tried to contact the owner several times left messages and on facebook had noluck i think the owner name is wilfred.just want to tell him about the food we had that was awful .i ran a sucessful restaurant for 5 years and wanted to add my twocents.since my restaurant won 5280 awards .what would i know about food and service.you can just tell like alot of bad restaurants the owner in denial ,too bad the location has bigtime potential ,when i read the one stars reviews and the occasional 5 star i cringe goodluck sir
(1)Sonny A.
I'd give this place 2.5 stars, however that wasn't an option. The decor is nice, seating placements are good. The food on the other hand is BLAND especially for the price we paid $15.-18 a plate. The refried beans had a canned taste, nothing tasted athentic (I'm half Mexican) it didn't meet my 'Americanized standards for Mexican' food.
(2)Aimee M.
Surprisingly, tonight was a huge let-down with the food. Service was great, but it must have been an off night with the kitchen staff. Who has to salt Mexican food? It was so bland and flavorless (no seasoning what-so-ever) it was on the verge of disgusting. I had chicken fajitas that came out as a sizzling plate of massive green peppers, a few onions and maybe half a breast of stripped chicken. The black beans and rice were completely tasteless as was my husbands dish. Sad. At $14+ a plate, this is ridiculous! Way overpriced for sub-par food. I don't think I will ever be back.
(2)Sean B.
I had the best quesadilla of my life here. End of story.
(5)Martha H.
I like La Fondita - not for the food as I've had better "authentic" food elsewhere - but for the service I receive there - it's always been good to outstanding. We like to eat in the new bar - the ambience is lovely though the music can be a little too loud to make conversation difficult. All in all, the restaurant is attractive and welcoming. The food is good - not great - but it's tasty and sometimes that's all I need. My favorite dish is the Tacos Al Carbon - the meat is cooked to perfection. Their Carne Asada is "ok" - they tend to overcook the beef that's why I always ask for it to be cooked medium rare - it still comes out over cooked but not by much. Their guacamole and salsa are top rate - very delicious. All in all, this is a great neighborhood restaurant.
(4)Sean B.
As some reviews have said, it's overpriced, flavorless, and has bad service. There are many better options for good Mexican food in Tacoma.
(1)Mike H.
I like supporting family owned businesses and this one is great. The atmosphere and the service are both good. If you are looking for authentic mexican this isn't it but the food here is very good nonetheless. The margaritas are really good but what sold me is the chicken mole, it is the best I have ever had.... I must go back soon.
(4)christy b.
This has always been one of my very favorite places. But today I am sad to say, it was really not good. The service was great, the waiter was very attentive and polite. However the food was very bland, it had almost no flavor and my burrito had almost no beef in it. I am not sure if there was someone new cooking or what happened. I will go back and give it another chance but probably not much more than that. I really hope it was just an off day.
(2)Jamie P.
The food was really bland. Salsa had no spice and and the tacos were just so so. Atmosphere is decent.
(2)Eily S.
bummer. went there during the Proctor Art/Street fair and boy oh boy, were they unprepared for the huge crowd (which they SHOULD have been prepared for, most business owners prepare for these things in advance.) for one, our server had a very poor attitude. not sure of her name but she has long black straight hair and it was in a ponytail. we were told the kitchen was "backed up and there is a 45 minute wait for food". huh? so we decided on a few cokes and just some chips and salsa to munch on. and literally the only time we saw her again was at the end when she briskly dropped off our checks and walked off. no checking on us or asking anything. poor. :( tables around us during half the time we were there remained messy, nobody was cleaning up after families of 4 after they left the tables. we even noticed a family in the corner who was waiting... and waiting... and waiting... for their food. maybe she failed to tell them about the kitchen drama. i am glad she told us though. i can't say i will ever return here. :(
(1)Molly M.
I have heard good things about la fondita from some friends and coworkers who have raved about this place... I went once with a friend and had the shrinp enchiladas which were pretty tasty, I was actually impressed. the food was kinda spendy and it did take a little while to get our food but I didnt think anything of it because we were chatting so much. the following week I decided to bring my mom here. I have just moved to tacoma and wanted to impress her with the place I found. we ended up waiting over an hour from when we ordered our food. they got the order wrong and then still charged us full price without fixing the problem. Another time my husband went there after work to grab something to go. He ordered a beer while he looked over the menu that they had offered him. when he decided what to order a few minute later the bartender informed him that the kitchen was closed...total waste of time. I doubt we will be going back. The food is tasty but the service and prices are just not worth it
(2)Scooby W.
Simply put, it's the best Mexican food in the area. Their Mole is the Sh**
(4)Ted P.
I've had much better Mexican for less money elsewhere. The service here was fine -- we tend to be picky about customer service and they certainly passed our standards -- nothing special, but certainly o.k. The food on the other hand just wasn't a win. The chicken fajitas were tasted off -- though the vegetables were quite good, the meat tasted odd. The mole was passable, but nothing special from our experience. If you're not familiar with mole, this would be an ok introduction, but it's not a stand-out. Sadly, both my wife and I ended up getting violently ill after eating at La Fondita and that really kinda put the bad spin on our whole experience.
(2)Rob H.
I'd been to La Fondita a few times prior to my last visit. The service has generally been OK but the food has been sub-par and portions small for Mexican food. The great location in the proctor district pretty much makes up for the bad food. This last time started out great. As we ate chips and salsa the server noticed my wife fanning her mouth (salsa was too hot for her). He came over and asked if she'd like some milder salsa. I was impressed. He brings back a bowl of warm enchilada sauce. Not quite mild salsa but still, he tried. The food was mediocre as usual. I waited way too long to get a refill on my soda. We got our bill and I noticed that they went ahead and added in their 18% gratuity. No big deal. I supposed it's their prerogative when a customer uses a restaurant.com coupon. It does cheat them out of the usual 20-25% tip i usually leave. So hears the real kicker; That server charged me a dollar for that crappy bowl of enchilada sauce that HE OFFERED. I won't be going back. The poor service on this trip and typical bad food has finally outweighed the great location. If you want great service and incredible Mexican food, head over to El Toro on pearl St.
(2)Valerie D.
Being born and raised a California girl I can only go so long without some solid Mexican food, and La Fondita was definately where I'd go for my fix during my stint in Tacoma. It's not the most authentic Mexican food there ever was, but it's better than any other Mexican place I stumbled upon in Tacoma. It's also located in the adorable Protcor district and has a very local hole-in-the wall sort of feel. The staff there are very helpful and friendly and they've kept me coming back time and again.
(4)jayme w.
I love La Fondita. The salsa is great. Gotta try the carne asada. Its very juicy and favorful. The shrimp tacos are a classic too and I try to make them at home.
(5)Donna L.
This review isn't about La Fondita II. It's about La Fondita on South G in Tacoma. The taco bus on the corner of 38th and G! If you want fast, friendly service and some authentic, satisfying mexican food then go there. The chicken Asada is excellent, as is everything. This is the best food in all of south Tacoma. Wait in your car or sit on the side of the platform and wait for the food. (The city made them remove their table and chairs a couple weeks ago.) But it doesn't take long for them to fill your order. Good sign. You mostly only see hard working Mexicans going there. They know where the good stuff is. Grubbin!!
(5)Molly C.
La Fondita is pretty good if you're looking for Americanized Mexican food that's healthier than the other places (i.e., Azteca, El Toro). Everything seems like it's fresh and made to order, not cooked in advance and then thrown on a plate to heat up under a broiler (like Azteca and El Toro). Nothing fancy, nothing too special, but it has its own niche. Nice, understanding dining room as well.
(3)Loris D.
La Fondita might catch some flack for the food coming out slow, but it's worth the wait. People should chill out and have a drink! We had the mole and chile relleno special - if I was alone at home I would have licked the plate. When I told the bartender how good our food was she said everything was made in house from the chips to the mole sauce which takes 8 hours to make. Very friendly and accommodating service even though the place was packed. We will definitely be back!
(5)