BOCA by Chef Maria Mazon

Visited BOCA several times over a couple of months in Tucson. The tacos were consistently delicious, when my dining companions ordered some non-taco dishes, including the BOCA balls and ribs, and their reviews of the other items were mixed. Over several visits, I think I tried nearly every taco on the menu and there was some unique takes, but they were consistently pretty excellent. The chips and salsa are an adventure, the chips come out freshly fried in a brown paper bag, enough to feed 3-4 people. The salsas are different every time and typically include some interesting variations and flavors. Worth trying just to see what chef is experimenting with. The margaritas are solid and they have a nice array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options on the menu. I was typically able to find free parking in the area, the next neighborhood block usually has some spots available. The wait varied from getting seated immediately to 30 minutes, but they input your cell phone into Resy and send you a text when your table is ready. Reservations only for large groups. Service varied across visits to highly attentive and engaged to barely communicative, with limited interaction or checking in throughout the meal.

Horrible- when we leave a restaurant, my wife and I always look at each other and say would you come back- I asked her would you come back-she said “no ,I’d like a refund”. We ordered Boca balls, they were fine very pedestrian. I ordered the ribs Signature entrée from a chef on tournament of champions I was pretty pumped. Look at that pic- I got half a plate of chopped cabbage- ladled with a green dressing? No flavor- two “spare ribs” that were more like chewy leather. Not enough meat to make two tacos. Not a rib maybe a rib tip? Grilled green onions best part- but 4 nicely grilled onions a $22 entree yuk. Plate did not beans- as described. Maybe chef should have picture of what plates should look like- you know like they do at Denny’s. Wife ordered the tostadas, asked the server how the sweet potatoes were prepared- he said fried? Not confident couldn’t describe dish. He should have said they were diced and roasted served bland . Local food trucks r better. I saw the chef on tournament champions putting up beautiful plates It’s disappointing. She can’t do it at her own restaurant. Not recommended.

Mexican restaurant in DT Tucson. Quick and attentive service. Nice outside atmosphere. Salsa flight came with 5 uniques salsas, two mild, three spicy. They were interesting and good. Chips came hot in a to go brown paper bag. Delicious. Tacos were large and served on cutting boards. Fun concept. The Boca salad was huge and dressing was tasty. Spare ribs came with green, pickled, and grilled onions. Ribs were a bit chewy but not bad. Decently priced. All of this plus three alcoholic drinks came out to $79. Not bad!

We attended on a Monday and even that was busy. Had a nice table out on the patio, pleasant weather and were quickly greeted by our server. The menu has some unique options that we enjoyed. Also on their available spirits is agave bacanara options.

First time coming to this restaurant food was amazing. Or silver Alex was awesome. Definitely recommend coming here . I was already disappointed in how to salsa but there's nothing too hot for me. There's salsa was great flavor and texture to it will definitely be coming back to this place in the future

I'm not gonna lie. I was pretty underwhelmed by my experience at Boca. As a fan of Top Chef I was looking forward to sampling Maria's cuisine, but the entire experience fell flat. Serve was okay, not super attentive, just mediocre. He asked if we wanted chips and salsa and we said sure, and even though it was Happy Hour, he brought us and charged us for the full price chips and salsa instead of the smaller portion and better priced happy hour version (for only 2 of us dining). Nor did he ask us. This felt a bit shady and disappointing. The food didn't blow me away. Some of the salsas in the assortment were really unique and delicious and others were unique but missed the mark, just meh. I ordered 3 tacos and they were stuffed full of filling which was nice! So portions are pretty good and hefty. That being said, the flavors were just basic. I've had much more flavorful tacos in Rhode Island where I'm from, and we aren't famous for our Mexican food. I also had much tastier Mexican food at other spots in Tucson so for what it's worth, I can't imagine I would return here.

With so many Mexican food options in Tucson, BOCA stands out as one of the best. Today did not disappoint. Not only is the food flavorful, the tortillas are are home made, and the tacos stuffed with goodness! If you get any of the fantastic appetizers, a couple of the tacos will fill you up.

The chips with salsa were like crack. It was so good we kept munching. I realy enjoyed all my battered seafood tacos too. Good, solid spot.

Even though my friends and I live in Phoenix, we regularly make the trip down to Tucson just to eat at Boca by Chef Maria Mazon -- it's seriously that good. We've been fans of Chef Maria since seeing her on Top Chef and Tournament of Champions, and it's so cool to see her in action at her own restaurant. She's always out on the floor serving food, bussing tables, greeting guests ... making sure everyone's having an amazing time. You can feel how much she cares. The vibe at Boca is relaxed and casual, with plenty of seating inside and a big patio that's perfect on nice days. It's the kind of place you can swing by after a hike or dress cute for a little for a night out. Either way, it feels right. And the food? Out of this world. I'm obsessed with the salsa flight -- if Chef Maria ever released a salsa cookbook, I'd be first in line. The salsas are different every time and always incredible. I've even bought jars to take home because I can't get enough. The tacos are next-level. Such a great variety and served à la carte, so you can mix and match depending on how hungry you are. Every single taco I've tried has been outstanding. Service is always spot-on too. The staff knows the menu inside and out and always has great suggestions when we can't narrow down our options. Boca is easily one of my favorite restaurants, anywhere. Already counting down the days until we can come back!

According to my Spanish dictionary, Boca can mean "mouth, talk, kiss, or gag." I'm not sure what they had in mind when they named this restaurant but I'm going to translate it as "effing good tacos!" Stopped by with my pal and started with the "Boca Balls" which are made by deep frying scoops of mashed potato. I can honestly say those were the best balls that I've ever put in my mouth (I know what you're thinking and you're naughty...to steal a line from The Departed, you should see someone). They were delicious! Great flavor with not too much chipotle and a blend of crema sauces on top of that crispy and soft combination of potato flavors. Would definitely order again. Then it was on to taco time! We had three tacos each and shared all the different flavors. Remember, folks, sharing is caring! The "Dan Gibson" is a barbacoa, which is typically a go to for me, but I'd skip it and get the Al Pastor instead next time. I'd also skip the chorizo con papas entirely, especially if you've already stuffed those balls down your throat (can't over do the potatoes, yanno?) The Asada was a winner and so was the Puerco Verde. But the highlight was the Mar Y Tierra, a surf and turf filling of breaded shrimp and beef. Perfect texture and flavor. Complex, savory, and as good as any taco South of the Border (that means Mexico, not what you're thinking from the Ed Sheeran song...seriously, what's wrong with you?). Funky casual vibe inside, looked like a decent patio, good service, generous portions, and quiet enough for conversation. Right off the Slink and worth the stop. Bring your mouth (and the rest of you) to Boca next time you're in the area. And call your therapist. Really.

Overall Ok food. Poor service. 2 ppl no alcohol $57 before tip. Food: The Burro (burrito). Large. Carne asada. Meat was there. Not abundant, not tender or juicy, but rather average. Taco 1) al pastor w/a ball. (Server added it to the burrito plate.) The al pastor was outside my flavor range. But not bad. The ball was tasty, but smaller than a golf ball. Taco 2) surf n turf w/rajas. Turf was same as above, but the rajas was a great flavor add. The shrimp was a delicious beer batter and 2 shrimp with a size about 25ct per lb. These were good. Guac - the two bowls combined were like one large Haas. Straight mashed Avocado. 1 bowl topped with turmeric and paprika. The other bowl topped with queso. Nothing special. The chips were very good and generous portion. Salty, thin and crisp. Lemonade was fresh squeezed with sugar added. That was good.​ Service: Got seated right away. Time passes. No water. No set up. No hello. Approached for drinks. No menu explanation. Few more minutes. Water dropped and order taken. Time passes. Salsas were dropped. This restaurant is "known" for the salsas. The server could have been proud to tell us about the salsas. Nope. Didn't tell us anything about those. Hot or not. Flavors, etc. Much more time passes. Chips and guac arrive. I ask for a salsa introduction. Time passes. People who ordered after us got their food first. More time passes. Food arrives. I ask for a set up (napkins, fork). More time passes. Set up delivered. Try to catch the server. Missed em. Try again- asked for the lemonade we ordered. The person didn't stop and muttered something on the way by. Time passes. Got the lemonade. No check-in. Try to catch the server to ask for a refill. Nope. Got the check before the meal was over and then asked for a refill. Time passes. Finished the meal. Got the refill. Asked for it 2 go. Cup for drink came. Check picked up. Time passes. Box for food arrives.

Tacos are huge and food had a lot of flavor. Many choices for salsa and they were all tasty. Service was "meh". Shrimp tasted good until I found poop trails in each shrimp on my Taco. I guess they figured that nobody would notice because they're deep fried. Avoid the shrimp! Other than that, thumbs up.

The Boca balls were my favorite, delightfully crispy! The food was a little pricey for the small portion size you received however. Service was not super attentive and came across as rushed a little snippy. That might have just been because they were busy though.

I'm not gonna lie. I was pretty underwhelmed by my experience at Boca. As a fan of Top Chef I was looking forward to sampling Maria's cuisine, but the entire experience fell flat. Serve was okay, not super attentive, just mediocre. He asked if we wanted chips and salsa and we said sure, and even though it was Happy Hour, he brought us and charged us for the full price chips and salsa instead of the smaller portion and better priced happy hour version (for only 2 of us dining). Nor did he ask us. This felt a bit shady and disappointing. The food didn't blow me away. Some of the salsas in the assortment were really unique and delicious and others were unique but missed the mark, just meh. I ordered 3 tacos and they were stuffed full of filling which was nice! So portions are pretty good and hefty. That being said, the flavors were just basic. I've had much more flavorful tacos in Rhode Island where I'm from, and we aren't famous for our Mexican food. I also had much tastier Mexican food at other spots in Tucson so for what it's worth, I can't imagine I would return here.

I was craving tacos while staying with my very picky better half. He suggested this place for lunch. He got a few carne asada tacos and a steak and cheese quesadilla and I tried the Al pastor, carne and mole as well as a salsa flight with chips. I thought the carne that day was a little underwhelming (he did too), the mole was a bit too bitter for my taste and the Al pastor was delicious! All in all had a good experience, our server was also nice, atmosphere was cute and clean. hostess was super friendly and helpful.

Ok guys you 100000 have to try out Boca in Tucson! The tacos are off the charts. I'm gluten free and they have a cabbage taco option! It's fire! I enjoyed the chicken pole and steak taco. I also had a two brothers beer and prickly pear mezcal. It's a tiny spot. Expect a bit of a wait. Such incredible food, set or and ambiance. Gabe was the real MVP slammed and crushing it!

Delicious! Guacamole was so good!! The peanut salsa and green salsa were great. The banana salsa was not my favorite - could've done with more guacamole instead. The margaritas were great! And the tacos were very tasty. My favorite one was the grilled shrimp (camaron). The asada was really yummy too. Environment was really cool and the waitress was super helpful. Food came quick!

1st bullet point review of the year...let's go! We were a party of 4 that had dinner here on a Saturday night. Reservations were made through RESY and this is how things went down. *Food - We enjoyed an interesting salsa flight of 7 different salsas. My fave was something that reminded me of chermoula and the other salsa of note was the blueberry kimchi concoction which tasted more like something I could drizzle over some vanilla ice cream. I ordered 2 tacos, the grilled shrimp and the cauliflower with curry sauce. I appreciated the option of having a cabbage wrap instead of a tortilla. The grilled shrimp was delicious and the cauliflower was fine but way off the taco path more so eating it off of a cabbage leaf. It was good though. For my beverage I had a unique iced tea, berry and prickly pear? Super refreshing. *Ambiance - cool-casual vibe, not intimate, low-key lively, conversational art *Service - Hostess service was fine, prompt. Our server was ok. Our service was interrupted by an "incident in the back". That's fine but we didn't know so we asked another server to let our server know that we ready. Boy, I didn't know that the blatant eye roll was still a thing and that this dude couldn't be bothered to simply reply "sure thing", "yes, of course", or "yes, I will let them know". Before that happened, we were having a conversation about the decline of good service and that no matter how fabulous the food was, if the service came with entitled attitude, it wasn't worth going back. *Edit - Restrooms - Hubby said one was gross and clogged so my friend used the other that didn't have paper towels or soap. She ended up using the lime slice from my tequila shot to somewhat wash her hands. You gotta stay on top of that cuz that can be an experience killer. Care about your establishment! In conclusion, food=unexpected and imaginative, ambiance=see above, service=area of improvement opportunity for the wait staff. The end.

Some of the best, high quality, unique tacos you can get in the Tucson area. I have been going to BOCA for roughly 4 years now and every time I have been, I haven't been disappointed. They have some of the best salsas that I have had in the Tucson area. If you are ever craving tacos it some great food in general give BOCA a try!

Love this local Mexican spot on fourth ave! The taco sizes are prefect and have so many options. The services was fast and the ambiance is amazing with the option of outside seating that features very cool murals! Highly recommend.

We came here with a big group, even though we had a reservation they seemed a little understaffed. So it took forever to order and get our food. Food was good, but nothing extraordinary

Went down to Tucson for the weekend and I knew the one place I wanted to visit was BOCA by Chef Maria, I am a huge top chef fan and loved Chef Maria when she 1st hit the screen. Then last year in Phoenix at the Taste of NFL I got to meet Maria and try some of her dishes and knew a trip to Tucson was going to happen! We got there on a Saturday evening and did have a bit of wait. Once seated I checked out the menu and went for a cauliflower taco and the Dan Gibson. The veggie taco was grilled cauliflower tossed in a curry cilantro and orange oil on top of cabbage in a homemade corn tortilla. The Dan Gibson was a barbacoa style beef cooked in a tomato chili sauce on top of cabbage in a homemade corn tortilla. Both these tacos were delish! Happy to have stopped by and tried some delish tacos and looking forward to coming back when in town!

Staff was welcoming Knowledgeable and Professional.. That matters. Knowing the menu helps.. Great neighborhood restaurant. We will be be back Relaxed atmosphere... cold beer Hot food

I know wine isn't their thing, but a 4-oz glass of wine for $6 should taste better than Gallo. The 2 tacos ordered during happy hour were pretty obviously re-heated and tasted old. The chips were so overly-salted as to be inedible. Also, I know it's supposed to be 'casual,' but could somebody please just wipe down the tables maybe once a week? Grungy isn't cool.

My partner scoped this restaurant out after seeing the Chef/Owner in a couple different Food Network shows. We were in town for the day so decided to check it out. The restaurant is located in a central downtown area. Parking looks like it's mostly street only - but we were able to find a spot fairly easily after 1 loop around the block. We went on a Saturday afternoon around 3pm and there wasn't a wait. There is patio seating and indoor seating. The patio is nice but not all of it is shaded, so specify if you want a shaded table. A lot of things on the menu sounded good. We ended up both going for the taco sampler plate so we could try a variety of things. We also got the salsa flight & margaritas. The margarita was decent but didn't seem very strong. Drinking it on an empty stomach didn't give me a buzz at all. The salsa flight was great! Diverse spread and our waitress explained each one in detail for us. The chips were hot and fresh. The tacos were also great. No complaints. The only thing I wouldn't get again is the Boca ball, which I added to my plate. It was cold. Not sure if it's supposed to be that way. Everything else was super flavorful and fresh. Highly recommend the Dan Gibson taco and Macho taco. The service was good. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. We also chatted with Maria for a little bit. She was cool. Next time I'm in Tucson I would check this place out again

This was my first visit to BOCA and I started off this visit with their chips and freshly made daily salsas and BOCA balls. The chips were thin, light, and fried into strips rather than your usual triangle chips you get at a Mexican restaurant. The salsas were flavorful and different. Today they had a banana salsa that had a sweet taste but not too sweet. The BOCA balls were crispy potatoes with a drizzle of avocado and a chipotle white sauce. They tasted good, but for me the texture was what stopped me from going in for multiple bites. I completed my meal by ordering one Asada Taco grilled and chopped steak, and one Macho Taco Anaheim Chili chopped steak. The corn tortilla was a nice tortilla very pliable and didn't fall apart at first bite. The asada meat was cooked perfect not dry, but a little on the salty side. The Macho taco for me was a hit! I liked how the chili was infused in the meat and the chili was grilled and peeled. It brought out the flavor of the meat. I did like the way the items on the menu are priced. You can get a good sized portioned taco for $6.00. Then if you want another you just order it. Overall- this is a good place to have a taco and the price is perfect. Stop in and try these tacos and find your favorite on the menu.

Our second visit in second visits to Tucson from Ohio. Excellent both times. I highly recommend the Elote. spicy and creamy and piping hot. We had the Macho Taco which is a pepper stuffed with beef and cheese a chicken taco. Plus a flight of salsas. House made and varying in heat. Our favorite was a white salsa. This place rocks!

I was thrilled to find Boca on 4th Street. We visited in the afternoon for a late lunch. Chef Maria was very hands on- greeting and taking care of customers. The atmosphere was friendly, the restaurant was clean and inviting with both indoor and outdoor seating. I thought the house margaritas were very good and the tacos creative. We enjoyed receiving the chips with a variety of salsas in a bag to take along with us if not finished.

Heard about this spot in Instagram and wanted to try it so bad. As with everything on social media - the filter made it seem different. Don't get me wrong this isn't a bad spot, it's just not everything I was hoping for. I was expecting creative vegetarian Mexican food options and those were a bit limited. Flavor was ok and portions were also ok. Everything seems to be sold separately so it's more of a small bites spot. Everything was fresh so the quality is there for sure.

Went here about a week ago on a Monday around 5pm. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas made with mezcal and another round of different drinks. Petty good. We both really liked our chicken molé tacos and I enjoyed my Dan Gibson taco (I have ordered this before and it's true of some reviews that occasionally you might get a serving that is a bit too fatty) but not the case this time. My friend thought the Macho taco was okay but she really loved the salsas and chips, especially the habanero kumquat. My past fave has been the habanero banana (amazing!) but it wasn't in this night's rotation. She also loved her al pastor taco. The tortillas for our tacos, whether corn or flour, were good. Service was great. We took our time, ate inside. I only wished they kept the bar open a bit later after closing the kitchen because we probably would have extended our time with more drinks, if so.

Amazing food and service all around!! Cauliflower, al pastor, and fish tacos were delicious.

I would say this place is overrated and overpriced. My boyfriend likes it, so that's really why we come. I personally wouldn't suggest/recommend this place. The food itself isn't necessarily bad, it's just not great and the prices are too high for what you get. The service is pretty fast and the servers are nice. It's a dim light ambience with inside and outside seating which is dog friendly.

Put our name down for a table, tried to have a drink at the bar while we're waiting and they wouldn't serve us because we're standing? There were 2 bar stools open and 3 of us waiting, so they said 2 of us can sit and have a drink but our 3rd person couldn't have one because he wasn't sitting. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

I was so excited to try BOCA (Top Chef fan). The vibe and patio are fun (beautiful mural)! The service and food miss the mark. The hostess was quick, funny and engaging (she's traveling to Miami soon). We arrived a little after 3PM so it wasn't a busy time and happy hour started at 4PM. $8.25 for chips and five salsas, one was super spicy but no flavor. Ordered the Carmelo and it was our favorite thing, they didn't skimp on the cheese or steak. Had a carne asada taco and burrito. Burrito was large but lacked any significant flavor. Now for the lackluster service. Emptied our carafe of water, BEFORE we ordered, she said she would bring more. After we ordered our food, we heard other tables (different servers) getting a description of the kitchen something about scratch made, and food takes a little longer and some other things we couldn't hear, we got none of that helpful knowledge. Then we wanted a second beer but she never came back. My friend went to the bar to order, meanwhile sees our server come out of the restroom carrying a large trash bag, sits it down and walks directly to our table (ugh, please wash your hands) with another carafe of water. Lack of attentiveness continues as we waited for a refill on the soda. It was just an off afternoon. Not a good value at $5 for a taco! Overall value, service and food disappointing. There are too many gems around Tucson to settle for this.

We have never had this bad of service! It is so disappointing. We sat and shortly after the bartender took our drink and chips/salsa order. The drinks were delivered with the salsa and we waited 30 minutes for someone to appear again. We were told the machine was down, but the chips were not hot when they arrived. We had to ask for the chips, we had to ask for the check, we never got a drink refills. It was such a disappointing experience.

We have been a fan of Chef Maria for years, and her passion, love, and skill shine through in each taco on the menu. We've been many times, and have always loved BOCA. This time, the weather was beautiful so we sat on the lovely patio outside. We got the salsa sampler and made-to-order tortilla chips. Each salsa had a unique flavor profile and heat level, which was really fun to experience. We got a variety of tacos, including puerco verde, pollo asada, carne asada, and pescado frita. It was all perfect. Our waiter was mostly attentive, although we did have to go look for him to get our check, but this was no big deal as we were not in any rush. It was a great experience overall!

I am in town for a conference and decided to get a late lunch since I hadn't eaten for almost 12 hours because of the travel. I decided to get the Dam Gibson taco and the nopales taco based on the recommendation of my server. I also got a side of guac and tasted some salsas. The carrot salsa was tangy, sweet, and very mild. The mango habanero was sweet and had a great kick. Those two were my favorites. The other two were just okay. The tacos were good, but it's not anything extraordinary (I am from San Antonio and I've had plenty of really good tacos). I was hoping to see Chef Maria, but alas, it wasn't meant to be! I had just rewatched her season of Top Chef this past weekend!!!! Maybe I will stop by another day or come back to Tucson. So far, I like the charm of the city and I can't way to try all these places that made this place a UNESCO city of gastronomy!

My friend recommended this place to me and I loved it! I'm pretty picky with my Mexican food and I'm not the biggest fan of tacos but this place tasted really good! It was super affordable and filling. It's in a great area (on 4th) and the servers were kind and welcoming. I would totally go again!

I don't get all the low star reviews for service. Our service was fine, including handling my disabled brother in-law. But the food...the food is outstanding. The salsa flight and all of the individual tacos are so good! The macho taco is top tier. *Top. Tier.* The cauliflower and al pastor tacos are also great. The Dan Gibson (barbacoa) is meh, but they can't all be winners. And just because I didn't love it doesn't mean the quality is low or anything - I still ate it! In summary, I'll be back. Often!

Hard to say enough wonderful things about this treasure. If you are looking for a unique taste of Tucson or something comfortable and familiar, Boca is the spot. It's perfectly located near the UofA and downtown, so a great place to grab a bite around gametime or showtime. And it's in the heart of 4th Ave, so there is plenty to see and do after. We love bringing out of town friends. The staff is friendly and on it! Typically - start with some special margaritas and fresh, fried to order chips. Salsas are made daily. The selection you get is both creative and delicious. Don't miss elote, before moving on to tacos and ribs in adobo. We order family style - boards of tacos roll out and everyone digs in to share. So many favorites, but the cauliflower and rajas are out of this world, and not found elsewhere. Chef Maria is a gem, and we are lucky to have her! Love boca and look forward to heading back.

Very cute atmosphere. Tacos were tasty. The Michelada was very flavorful well made. The Boca Balls and the salsa flight were delicious. We visited on a Thursday night and they were short staffed. It too a while to be seated and for someone to take our drink order over 30 mins total. Once we ordered, the food came out quickly and that was a plus. Although they were short staffed, the staff was kind and helpful. I would recommend and return again.

Yummy lunch with a cool "downtown Tucson" vibe. Especially loved the stuffed pepper (first thing on the menu) and the grilled green onions. This 'lil restaurant is a gem!

Absolutely amazing!!! Service was fantastic and Maria has the best personality. We sampled 4 different tacos and each one was outstanding. The salsa flight and chips were also incredible. Can't wait to come back. New favorite!

Quality: 7 Presentation: 8 Preparation: 9 Creativity: 7 Flavor: 8 Texture: 7 Value: 6 Service: 8 Atmosphere: 8 Ideal Date Spot: 6 Total Rating: C (74/100) This place has a very unique atmosphere. The food has great flavor and is presented in an authentic way. The crowd is a bit older, but it's a very dynamic mix. It's a great place to hang out with friends, however not really a family space. I thought it would be a cool place to go on a first date, but the group of friends I was with felt differently. The girls definitely have higher than normal expectations.

Food is ok, would be better if the service was a little better. Very poor experience again the tacos were not terrible, I will give it another try on a week night maybe. PS slow kitchen as well

The service was disorganized and checked out and the food was whatever. Before going, I checked on the website and learned you could only make a reservation if you were a party of 4+. I called and they told me the wait for a party of 3 would be around 25 min. Great. I arrived and they confirmed that the wait would be 25 min. Great. Over an hour later, the harried hostess apologized and told me it would be 20 minutes more because they were flooded by reservations. Some of which it turns out were for parties under 4 because "Oops I guess they called and managed to get a spot." I don't understand how the time delay due to *reservations* wasn't foreseeable, in which case we would have just gone somewhere else instead of waited outside in the cold (which they told us we had to do) while my 5 year old daughter cried. Once we got seated, we didn't see a wait staff for 20 minutes. Once we placed our orders, it took another 30 to get tacos. I originally chose this restaurant in part because I wanted something quick. Joke on me. Some of the tacos were okay. The papas and chorizo tasted herbal and burnt, and was easily the worst interpretation of that dish I have ever had. Hard pass.

Had a road trip with my friend to visit and saw Boca on the local news. The unique salsas and hand made tortillas caught my attention. We stopped in for lunch. Miguel was our server. Food was delicious and our service was excellent. My friend ate their food before I could take a picture but had shrimp tacos that were amazing. Gift shop was super cool! Have a margarita and enjoy

Terrible experience dining here with the server who did not greet us from getting sat at the table for 20 mins. Came over to finally take the order. It took other servers to come service us and give waters since he was absent. The food came out cold because of course he forgot about us. There were people who were sat after us that got their food, paid and already left by the time we served the cold food. The server name is Ed and he was by the bar coughing and did not cover his mouth, coughing all over the drinks that he was serving to customers. During the height of flu season you should be more cautious or at least have some manners being in the food industry.

Maria is an amazing chef. Loved going to her first restaurant where you could watch her preparing the food. Although the food is still delicious, all the charm is gone. We walked in and the staff were standing around talking and did not acknowledge us. After a few minutes we were shown to a table. No welcome or smile, felt like we were intruding. A server came and took our order. A couple of minutes later another server came and asked if we needed menus. No organization. They brought us a selection of salsa but no chips. We asked for chips and found out they charge for chips. We did get the chips and enjoyed the salsas but they lacked the heat that Maria was known for. I noticed that when guests left, no one cleaned the tables. At least 3 tables were left dirty the whole time were there. Maria, please train your staff and bring back the charm that was as important as your amazing food.

One of our stops on our Patti's Mexican Kitchen Tucson food tour. One of the better places we ate at. Tacos were very good. Local draft beer was also good. Waiter was friendly and helpful about suggestions. We enjoyed sitting out on the patio.

Like the song from Blondie, Maria, you've gotta see her! So abre la boca for some of Maria's delicious tacos with salsa. I first heard of Chef Maria when I saw Top Chef. I was rooting for her to win! I had this spot bookmarked for a long time and the fact there was a nice patio that was dog friendly sold me on trying out her restaurant. When we got here, there were other people waiting for someone to seat us and there was no one at the host stand. I waited a few minutes before realizing this wait would be more than a few minutes lol. I suppose this gave us time to get to know our fellow waiting patrons, who showered the doggos with a lot of affection. Eventually, a server came by to seat us at a table on the patio. We shared a few items and I got a few tacos. The boca balls we shared had a light crispy outer coating with potato inside. I thoroughly enjoyed the tacos (macho and chicken mole) which were filled with a plentiful amount of meat and veg. I also tried a bite of the hot dog taco which was a tasty twist on two American favorites. I'll venture to say that Maria's salsas were actually the star of our meal. Each one was unique and was a delicious accompaniment to the tacos. If she bottled her salsas I'd buy them in a heartbeat! I also ordered some elote for the kiddo who is a corn junkie. Unfortunately the corn was really bland tasting. I loved that Chef Maria came out to talk to everyone. She even gave out bananas to some of the kids sitting on the patio including ours. If you don't mind some waiting and perhaps a bit of a treasure hunt for a parking space since it's street parking only, Maria's is definitely worth a try! Details: - Dog friendly, shaded patio - Dog menu available (a bowl of carne asada) - High chairs available but no boosters - Street parking only

Service : The bad : we were told the wait will be 30 mins but we got seated after an hour. The good : my daughter loves elote but this was a tad bit spicy they got a new one at no time at no charge Food : The salsas were average and none of them were hot The guacamole ($16) exorbitant price for average guac. The house margarita average Carne Asada average Pastor tasty Cauliflower average Not worth the wait or the food..

Service horrible. Owner/manager needs to retrain hostess and servers. Hostess not friendly no greeting. We had to ask for napkins, straws. Utensils after the food was delivered. The sangria was horrible no flavor but nasty wine. Food was ok I don't know what all the hype about tacos. The pork Verde taco. Count them only 2 small chunks of meat in the taco, the rest cabbage fill WTH The boca balls were ok could use more flavor. Won't go back

I stand Pat with my previous review. I love this place. Once again, taste is scrumptious and exceeded my expect- taste-ins! Prefer the nice convivial outdoor patio. Responsive and friendly service with a smile providing an ingredient and prep rundown of the four special housemade sauces of the day. The killer jalapeño mashed potato Boca Balls smothered in special sauce and the tacos were all great. We tried the Dan Gibson, the Taco dog, the cauliflower and Al Pastor tacos. Two thumbs up Yum Yum! Love to the chef owner for this amazing eatery and to the chefs that cook it up, plated it up, and servers. Particulaly the chef / owner - inspired spin on Mexican. And this place is UNESCO rated so calling all foodies - this is the place you have to try one in Tucson.

I wanted to like this establishment - there have been some good reviews in the past, but the food was disappointing. Lots of gristle in the Dan Gibson tacos. The caramelo was better but just OK. The service was OK. The dining room was very noisy. As an aside, and Boca has no control of it, parking in the area is a nightmare.

This restaurant would have earned a super solid 5 had it not been for the terrible service. When we arrived, we stood behind another group at the hostess desk waiting to be seated, as the sign requested. It was literally 10 minutes before any of the staff even came to the desk. We were seated immediately after the first group. The lighting was so dim in the restaurant that everyone needed to bring out their phone to read the menu. Once the food was ordered, it came out pretty quickly. I had 4 different street tacos - they were the best I've ever had!!! And, the spicy margarita was unbelievably delicious! When I ordered a second spicy margarita, it came out looking completely different than the first - much lighter in color, no slice of pepper in the drink, and pretty weak. After a couple of sips I called the waiter over and mentioned that I had ordered a spicy margarita just like the first. He laughed, said it was a spicy margarita just like the first, and blamed the hot salsas we had on the table for my difference in the taste - and walked away. My wife and I looked at one another in disbelief, as she too could see that the second drink looked nothing like the first. And, that was that. We realized he wasn't kidding, nor did he intend to do anything about it. I'm really torn on this restaurant as to whether or not I would ever go back, as customer service and satisfaction is a huge part of the dining experience.

I wanted to go shopping at the 4th Avenue Street Fair going on right now but had to eat first! I took my co-foodie with me and we're not disappointed. I ordered Pollo wrapped in cabbage and my shopping buddy ordered tacos. Service was great despite busy time. The ambiance, as expected, was crowded due to the popularity of the street fair. I inhaled my food but managed to take a pic of my non-alcoholic drink of mixed pineapple-cranberry juice. Look at the pics- enjoy! 4.5 stars.