Cantina Mexicana

Ok, so I had high hopes for this place based on the reviews. Now my review is only based on the tacos and margarita. I had a Cadillac margarita and give it a 7 out of 10. Now for the tacos. The steak tacos was the best, seasoned really good 9 out of 10. The chicken taco was not so good, no seasoning on chicken, the chicken seemed as if it was boiled or something. The pork taco I could not even eat it, 1 out of 10. Words can't explain how awful the pork was. Overall I give this place a 5 out of 10. I would have given it a 7 but they made me pay for the pork taco that I didn't even eat.

Overall good atmosphere. Service was good. Food was average. Salsa was overly sour. Hot salsa was infact hot. Tortilla's were hard and dry.

Great food, cozy and festive atmosphere, and great service. We had the Steak Quesadillas (2 people can eat out of them). We also had the Chorizo Tacos which are juicy and flavorful, not too spicy, but if you want extra spice the side sauce will kick it up a notch. If you’re in the area and craving for Mexican, give it a try.

Loved the Mariachi Band. The four of us enjoyed our food and the GREAT Margaritas. The band went through the restaurant and stopped at every table for requests and pictures. It was a work night for some of us and thus we limited the drinking but the atmosphere was popping.

Amazing vibes, we loved the music, the service and the authentic design. We had a stroller and had a nice table in a side nook with a spacious area. The service was great and the food was so good and authentic. My picky 7 years old had a dish from the kid’s menu and loved it very much! We recommend the mango margarita, so good!

I was in the mood for tacos and wanted to bring my 5 year old along. I’ve been to Cantina before and know they do a great job decorating for Christmas, so thought the little one would get a kick out of that. As soon as she opened the door and saw the inside, she was amazed! 5 stars for decor and atmosphere. We kept it simple with the food - she had a steak and cheese taco, and I had 3 different tacos. The El Pastor was the best one. We also had refried beans and rice, and the chips and salsa at the beginning was nice. I love the green salsa. The waitress we had was very nice and hospitable. They allowed me to pay with Apple Pay in the establishment. It was very affordable. I will definitely be coming back soon.

I love this place! Staff is super friendly and food is delicious!

Very solid menu! We’ve done dine-in and take out many times. You see a lot of families in here as it’s right downtown. It’s got character, but decor is a little cheugy.

I have been here on numerous occasions, I think I am a regular. Great food and drinks go together and Cantina Mexicana nailed it. From the chips and guacamole to the crispy shrimp quesadilla and you can't forget about the Jumbo Cantina Mexican Margarita. The staff works together as a team to make sure you have a great experience. If you love Mexican Cuisine you should check this place out.

This place gets three stars right out of the gate for the building. We noticed the front as we were on our way back to our hotel and knew we would need to go back there for dinner. Not disappointed at all. I got the chicken nachos which were more than I could eat, and my partner got three different tacos, though I don't remember which. Everything we had came out quickly and tasted great. For dessert I had the special flan which was a bad idea with the micheladas I had been drinking so I had them pack it to go. I ate it later that night with some coffee and it was everything I like in a good flan. Jiggly, and just sweet enough to complement my black coffee. My partner had the churros and said they were NOT making it out of the restaurant (can confirm, they did not, ). Overall, would definitely go back. Also, they will put a sombrero on your head and play a birthday song if you're looking for a place to go.

Haven't been here in years, I remember this place having a pretty ambiance. Walked in on a Tuesday at 1:30pm and ordered 3 chicken tacos to go. It was very affordable. My order was ready in minutes. The salsa verde had a nice kick and the chicken was flavorful. I have no complaints.

Good authentic Mexican food. Delicious flavors and great menu options. Service was great and made sure we had everything we need. Nice ambience decorations Will definitely will be back again next time in the area.

I have to say I really enjoyed my time and my experience at Cantina. Service was good with great food. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajita, and the steak was seasoned just right along with the shrimp. My compadre ordered the enchiladas to boot. And you know what I extenuated the salsa as most Mexican restaurants salsa can be bland but it was pleasant enough for me to ask for more.. the seating is a little tight for my taste but we managed and the people seemed to enjoy eating there and once again so did I. The margaritas are great and that's a must to wind down on chill evening! So don't take my works for it head on over and tell them I sent ya!!

From the moment you enter, you are transported to festive Mexico - beautifully decorated restaurant, I really enjoyed the ambiance. We ordered a few margaritas for the dinner - I had Jalarita, spicy Margarita, made with lots of Jalapeños - quite tasty. We had guacamole and Botana Cantina for our appetizers - Botana Cantina had good variety of appetizers - fried chorizo was absolutely delicious, I would eat a bowlful. The entree was not so good though. I got beef fajitas, which looked very good. However, beef had no flavor whatsoever, and the dish was server not only with fried peppers and onions, but lots of crunchy zucchini, which absolutely doesn't belong in that dish in my opinion. Good service, prompt and attentive.

It was pretty good, but it was very crowded because of a family birthday party. The menu is reasonably priced except for the order of guacamole; a small container of just about three tablespoons costs us $4.50. Love the dessert combination.

This is really solid option for Mexican food and drinks with solid prices in the Stamford area. The mojarra frita was fried perfectly and salted well. The fries and salad were fine. My guest had the chuleta with salsa verde and while the flavor was good, the pork chop was unfortunately very dry to the point were jokingly calling it jerky. The drinks are great too! Very friendly service to top it all off

This is one of my favorite places ever! The chips were served right after we ordered, and they tasted great! The taco I had was very tasty, and I would definitely recommend! The fajitas were juicy and yum. The steak was chewy but very good and tender. The fries were mouth watering and I love it! The lemonade had lemony greatness to go with it, and that's cool! The environment was clean, and it was more quiet compared to a rock concert. (Which was good) Lastly, I loved the cheerfulness and politeness of the workers. Just amazing. Overall, I rate this 4.6/5.

The food was authentic to Mexican culture. The service was fast and waiters and punctual. The ambiance is the way is supposed to be the music the gentleman's singing with there instruments.

This place is probably great to stop by if you're in the mood to grab a drink. They have some great drink deals but the food itself kinda lacked. While I enjoyed my steak and it was cooked at the perfect temp, the beans lacked seasoning. The service was pretty quick though. Especially considering it was pretty crowded on a Saturday night.

We are regulars for dine in and take out for the past 15 years. Our last few take out orders have been missing some items and when we call to ask about it or get a refund, they are not willing to do anything. Ruby is the name of the person that I spoke with and she was very argumentative. Do not dine there!!

Mixed opinion. I would definitely return and give other dishes a try. I had a burrito with steak and I was not pleased with the steak, it tasted like low grade cheap cut beef. My husband ordered steak tacos and his beef was of better quality. The plantain was delicious. That burrito sat on my stomach like a brick, and for that I took one star off. I recommend using better quality beef even if I had to pay extra dollar.

I have gone to Catina multiple times as it is one of my favorite restaurants. Every-time I go I am seated almost immediately. The longest wait time was between 5-8 minutes on a busy night. The food is always delicious and served quickly! Even went for my husbands birthday and the staff sang happy birthday and put a sombrero on him! This place is truly a fun experience, they play great music and sometimes even have mariachi bands come and play. If you are wanting great Mexican food, you must come to Cantina!

Service was Horrible!! we had a 530 reservation on a Sunday. The waitress is down for a table of four. She was very slow, not pleasant had no personality. We had to ask her twice for some hot sauce. She gave us a little plastic cup of hot sauce for she had our order wrong took 20 minutes just to get our drinks. We were there for almost 2 hours she came to the table, and that was at the end to give us our tab. The food was not tasty. It seemed like it was frozen and they just warmed it up. I had the sampler platter for Mexican rice she brought his white rice twice. Service was just very bad. We will not go there again. We told them it was for a birthday party. They never did come to the table very disappointed.

First time coming here love the ambiance and the service was excellent from start to finish our waiter was amazing she was great wish I would remember her name but she was great . Now the food that food was delicious and it came out fast and hot wish was a plus the guacamole was one of best I had

Wonderful and fast service, and delicious food! The shrimp fajitas and mole enchiladas were phenomenal. Great spot, fair prices! Felipe was a great server.

I can't recommend Cantina Mexicana more! I love everything I've ever gotten from there, including the tortilla soup, chicken flautas, nachos, tacos, burritos, and (my favorite) the fajitas. I prefer the mexican rice/refried bean combo, and the menu isn't always clear on if the meal comes with white rice/black beans, so just ask for what you want. Nice strong margaritas as well, and you can add a mini shot as a floater which is always fun! Their house salsa is clearly homemade and really fresh and delicious. They have a live Mariachi night which can be a pro or a con, depending on if you like live entertainment or prefer dinners to be a bit more quiet and private. Check the night of the week to make sure they're there (or not) before you go. Only issue is the prices are a bit steep for what you get, but that applies to almost everywhere in downtown Stamford. For a sit down Mexican place this is the best you'll find in the area.

Very disappointed in the service and experience. Barely any chips on the nachos so I asked for additional chips and was charged an additional $10.50. Asked for a side a pico and was charged $7 and $3 for a small cup of sour cream. First time feeling like I was nickel and dimed at a restaurant and when I voiced my concern the waitress didn't care at all. Not going here again.

It's my second time there food good the waitress was very nice and drinks are I HAD THE : Parrillada grilled steak, chorizo, chicken, pork chops, chambray onions; served with rice and beans

Great ambience, service and drinks ! The food is also good. Sometimes GREAT & sometimes acceptable ... but always a good experience. It's on par for "northeast Mexican" food. It has all the flare & passion in the decor and sometimes in the food. Would never hesitate to eat here .. haven't for like a decade

My family and I have been coming here for years and have always had great food. We went again recently, and something has changed. We think the ownership has changed and they are cutting corners. Everything that was served to us was obviously previously frozen. The food came out in less than 5 minutes of ordering. My meal was hot on the outside and cold on the inside. I told the waitress and she brought me a new order and that was warm, but you couldn't even cut into it. It was tough from over microwaving. My suggestion is to come in for a pre dinner cocktail. Then go somewhere else for dinner.

Been wanting to check out this spot. Food was delish, fresh and cooked to perfection. The staff is very attentive, and the drinks potent! Great hangout spot, huge downstairs perfect for parties. The decor is awesome, and reminds me of the cantinas in Vallarta and Cancun, Santa Muerte, Frida, Cantinflas, Diego Rivera, etc...Come and support local!

Parking horrible No wait had rez Chips and salsa ... not many chips Salsa had funny taste Margs... great Food excellent Birthday experience ... mex hat funny Had to pay for birthday desert 13.00 Not to happy with that but it was fun

The service was really fast and the place was packed. We were able to get seats without reservation which was also nice. The chips were not all that but not super greasy or stale which was a plus. I ordered the aracherra which was delicious. Their guac is also really good. The carnitas tacos were good for their price but they only give you a little piece of lime for three tacos which was not enough. Other than that everything was great and will definitely be going back!

We l ok be the food in cantina .. particularly the shrimp cocktail ..always order it when we come .. main course are also great .. I usually order sea food .. service is prompt too

I love this place!! The food is always great. My favorites are the tostadas (I alternate between steak and shrimp all the time both great) and the camarones a la Diabla. The service can be a bit slow, however, the staff is always great and the food is awesome! Also their salsa is the bomb.com

This spot has really good food and many selections to choose from. Located in Stamford, CT, this mexican restaurant really stands out. Inside is very clean and appealing with nice decor. I got take out and all of the choices were excellent. I had the ribeye steak order which was full of flavor and provided a great spread of food on the plate. Also the bistec encebollado flavorful. The tacos were tasty as well as the tosadas. Overall a great takeout experience. Im looking forward to dine in soon.

I just find out the restaurant started offering Happy Hour to customers, according to the rude manager we need to inquire about it otherwise they'll charge you regular price. I am a regular customer and I was in shocked how rude the "Manager" was who actually was dressed up X and would never think he manage the restaurant and the waitress not at friendly at all. Very dissatisfied.

My waiter was good but the food was terrible. The shrimp tasted fishy. I left it. When the bill came I was told they couldn't take credit cards because the credit card machine didn't work; luckily I had cash. This should be said before you sit down but then I didn't get change from my food bill. I was told they didn't have any. The manager came out and gave me it from his pocket??? I informed him I would never come back.

Great food and drinks. Took my grandma to dinner!! has an awesome time she turned 83 today!!!

Got takeout here during super bowl Sunday! I was really craving some good nachos, so I turned to yelp to help me. I ordered vegetarian nachos (no carne or chicken!) and was told it'd be ready in just 15 minutes, whereas some other locations had more than a three hour wait. Items here are very reasonably priced for the portions you're getting. I would recommend this place to others for their great service alone (but the food is great too).

Acceptable mexican fare - after a few visits. The thing is, the menu is kinda generic, and the place somewhat kitschy. But, there is heart here to be found, but only after a couple of visits. Once they start recognizing you, they actually *remember* you - and you start getting your drinks the way you like them. Same with the food - the items on the menu may not be always available, but the difference between "sorry, not today", and "wellll, we don't have that, but we could do ...something else... for you" is, well, huge! The bottom line - it's a place that bears repeated visiting... (Oh, sit at the bar, btw)

I had a chicken burrito. It tasted good. But then it felt like a rock in my stomach. Later that evening, it sped through me. I won't be back.

This place is so good! The service tonight was like lightning- I couldn't believe how quickly the food came out. Michelada poblana drink was really interesting. I had the verde enchiladas- very good. The ambiance in this place is really cool.

This place is incredible. Service was fast. The manager checked in to see how I was doing. The food is excellent. My favorite Mexican restaurant in Stamford!

Been wanting to check this place out for a while now and yesterday the family and I finally decided to venture over. Decor: I peeked in for a second just to get the hostess' attention because we ended up sitting outside but from what I saw it seemed like a nice open space...clean...festive. Nothing crazy. Service: Very courteous and pleasant. A little on the slow side though (hence the 4 stars). IDK if it was because we were the only party sitting outside or if they were really that busy (which it didn't seem like they were) but there were some delays with placing our food and drink orders and then receiving them. But that was only issue I had with them. Food: I was VERY pleased with the our orders. I got the Carne Asada (steak with rice n beans..banging! My wife got the seared shrimp in a spicy sauce...they aren't lying about the spicy but that too was also really good! I even thought that salsa was really good. Was everything down with a lime juiced Corona and some Tamarindo sodas! Definitely a place that I would come back to. Maybe for a happy hour where I can take advantage of their Margaritas because the way they looked...you can't tell me they wouldn't be amazing! Until next time...

The service was responsive at 6:00pm on a Saturday but the food was wretched. The guacamole app was good. We're glad we ordered it because the fajita contents which had bits of chicken and beef in it (and should have only had shrimp -- not good for someone who can't eat meat) had zero taste and the NY Steak Catina was like eating an old shoe. I mean r-e-a-l-l-y tough. All that + two Cokes for just $100! We made a graceful exit and won't be back.

Service was terrible we waited 30 min never got greeted the server had an attitude and told me can't I see that he's busy upstairs and downstairs ?! Wow then he walked off the manager came over and took our order but we had no utensils till after we ate with our fingers lol A group of Hispanics came in sat next to us and the same server took their order in 3 min little does he know I'm a bartender and over tip boy did he mess up! He never came back to us to see if we needed anything else etc food was good but i will not return... and i live in the area def woulda been a regular servers name is Cesar btw horrible and prob low key racist

Such a lively place on the weekend! Stopped by on a Saturday for a friend's birthday and was surprised to see it completely packed with multiple birthdays being celebrated at the same time. Every few minutes you would hear all of the servers sing happy birthday and bring out sombreros to put on the birthday guest. The atmosphere is loud and fun with lots of decorations to fit the Mexican theme. Margaritas are surprisingly strong and delicious (go for the frozen strawberry) and they also have other creative drinks like pina colada served in a whole pineapple. Very happy to see the guacamole we ordered was fresh and hand pressed in front of us and served in a large bowl. Service was prompt in refilling baskets of chips multiple times throughout the night. Our waiter was also good at upselling margaritas and making sure we were having a good, drunken time. The menu isn't as extensive as other places and the entrees itself are a little expensive, but I think the tacos are worth it (about $3 a pop). They fill it with plenty of meat and won't leave you hungry the way Bartaco does. The chorizo, carnitas, and pollo were solid contenders and left me stuffed by the end of dinner. Another fun thing to note is at 10pm, they clear some of the dinner tables in the middle to open a little "dance floor" with strobing lights. The lights are a bit blinding/intense, the music is loud, and no one really danced, but our table still had a fun time. It's a 3.5 in my book as it doesn't really stand out against any other Mexican place I've been to. However, still a solid choice

Went there as I awaited my Fave sushi place to open across the way. Figured grab a happy hour drink to let time pass. House margarita was eh, okay. Done in a huge hug that gave me nightmarish flashbacks to when I attended and used mostly mix and 5% alcohol. Smelled like jug. So if you go, DO NOT GET AHOUSE DRINK!!! ORDER A TRUE, FRESH MADE FOR YOU DRINK (if you dont know what I mean, sorry, cant help you).... I was kindly pushed to order food (although I am set on across street different ethnic food) and ordered the happy hour chicken chilaquiles. OMG!!!!! ..... basically chilaquiles is corn chips with a sauce, sour cream, protein (chicken in my ) with a sauce (THEY DO IT amazing with ). Let me just say the flavors of home hit me hard. On point. Get in my belly NOW!!! So go get yours and tell me how you like/dislike it. For we all have a burro in us (incase you dont know OPINION, Arse, Donkey, etc).... kiss

Honestly the beat Mexican food I've ever had. I don't eat meat I got the shrimp quesadilla's the shrimp and whole quesadilla was amazing on its on. I ordered the fried porgy and had Spanish rice and salad with it it was all amazing!!

I had an AMAZING time!! I celebrated my birthday here a week back on Cinco De Mayo. I had about 12 people come by for brunch. First off, making the reservation was surprisingly easy. Especially for the party size. They give you a preset menu for 50 dollars pp. You get the brunch and unlimited mimosa Bellini or sangria for 90 minutes. For the city this is a steal!!! The food was soo good and savory. The drinks were perfect. The rooftop was big and spacious and beautifully decorated. They also have two dance floors which was put to great use by us. Everyone from the hostess to the servers and bartenders were so nice. Not one person had a bad attitude which was great especially when your celebrating your birthday you want to be treated nicely. My server was Gabriel who was very nice and attentive. And even though they sang happy Birthday to the wrong person I still had a great time. It was very funny and now my friend and I share a birthday, lol. Thank you Cantina. By far the best Cinco de Mayo/ Birthday party. I recommend going there !! I will definitely go back.

Old world feel with a newish spin. Standard Mexican dishes with a few twist and very strongly made drinks but done right! Social distancing in order. In and out door eating permitted with limited capacity. Dog friendly for outdoor dining as well

Beef in Taco was to dry, May be they used from last nights leftover. I ordered the steak Taco which I usually do in Mexican Restaurants, this place my order came out in less than 5 mnts. I wonder How they made it so fast? The girl in the Bar looks miserable and unhappy. Looks like she has loads of problems. She is a dump full of misery. There was young girl all by herself working, cleaning and serving. I feel bad to have these kind of employees in the restaurant. The plates are not cleaned well, looks like they are outdated. I will not eat here again

During the darkest days of COVID-19 this little gem in Stamford kept there doors open like many did but shout out for the good food, amazing service and so far one of the best margaritas I've had in awhile. So much so in fact I visited when outdoor dining was available and had a yep..Margarita! Outdoor seating area is small but worth passing through to support a great place with delicious food. i recommend the chimichanga (steak) and their chicken nachos too.

The salad! I had the Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo which came with rice and salad. The freshness, crispness and flavor of the entire salad made the dish! The dressing which tasted like a lemony vinaigrette with a punch was absolutely delicious!! I love shrimp and this was not a let down. The rice was also tasty. We asked for a refill on nachos and salsa. I didn't give a 5 stars only because I didn't order a drink (I know!). Once I'm back in town, I'll be there trying out a new dish.

Wow, every time I dine at this restaurant, the overall experience gets better and better! We were greeted with a warm welcome at the door and were offered seats at the bar as we waited for our table (without a reservation). Even the mariachi band members stood up and offered my girlfriend and I seats! Upon sitting at our table, a server had brought over my girlfriends bracelet which was mistakingly left at the bar. We had very attentive servers, the food was delicious and came out extremely fast and all of our requests were fulfilled. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in a traditional, authentic and delicious Mexican restaurant!

New to the area, and we are looking for a solid place to come to often... This place is fantastic! Had GREAT services, great drinks, and great food! The marg pitchers at 40$ and we got 8 margs out of it! The queso 10/10!!!