La Palapa

We recently had dinner here to celebrate my future sister-in-law finding her dream wedding dress! We were all so excited because it was a first-visit for everyone + the menu looked 🔥 Unfortunately, upon arrival, we noticed the building’s A/C was broken and they didn’t actually have our reservation noted down (which we’d intentionally made multiple days in advance). Sadly, the service left Much to be desired… The server was very flustered even though there were maybe 2 or 3 other tables sat in the whole place. She finally sat our group upstairs, showed us the QR codes on the tables and proceeded to act like we were crazy when we questioned her about ordering AND paying ahead of time through their linked website. Odd, but OK… I know I would have felt differently if she hadn’t made a point to tell us she was really busy and already had “too much” to do. It made us feel like an imposition. I will say: the food I had was delicious… I personally gave the food category a 4-star rating because the plantain/cheese empanada and the birria tacos and the guacamole were all phenomenal! I’ll be dreaming about it for weeks, I’m sure! I’ll close with this: I’m not often one to leave a review for a less than 4 or 5 star experience because I know how Google reviews can impact a business (I’m a small business owner myself), but sometimes honest and constructive feedback leads to positive growth.. 🍀

First time here and absolutely did not disappoint! Had the chicken fajitas, chicken burrito, and chips + guac. Might be the best guac I’ve ever had. Everything was seasoned perfectly and very fresh. Only thing I would change is the online menus, I would love a physical menu.

I tried La Palapa’s food truck and it did not disappoint. The ingredients were super fresh and everything tasted great. Everything is first come first serve and they can run out especially if they are super busy.

We recently hosted my sister’s bridal shower here and it was absolutely perfect. The staff were incredible and the food delicious. We had a space outside behind the main restaurant which was a bit warm but spacious. Jesus was easy to work with and prices were reasonable. Great music, curated by our server. Highly recommend!

I was extremely hesitant to try this spot because Mexican food in Pittsburgh is questionable. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty our meals were and the great value of the happy hour menu. Wonderful service, good food, and nice drinks.

We came here for a family reunion in Pittsburgh. This was one of the few places that was able to accommodate our large group of over 20 people in a reserved dining area. The management and staff did a wonderful job making our family dinner a success, for both adults and kids. The food was wonderful and the service was fabulous. Highly recommend!

It is centrally located , They have a lot of seating including outside siting. Though the weather currently is not supportive of it I guess most days we would get parking in the adjacent street, which is a big plus Tamales tastes nice , The guacamole is fabulous to taste Empanada were not done well though 😔

Food was good. Came in for happy hour and they dont tell you that they ring up all the happy hour drinks at full price and then "supposedly", they refund the difference at the end of the night on everyones card, its a little uncomfortable. So you just gotta trust that they will.

We had the chicken and chorizo burrito, steak burrito, and chicken burrito. All 3 were excellent. Highly recommend the queso topping. Mezcal mules were perfect. Guac, queso, and salso app was delicious. Highly recommend.

This is such a cute small spot to stop in for a drink or food. We came in for a margarita on national margarita day! I ordered a frozen mango margarita. Definitely yummy! Our table also ordered chicken nachos. I do not normally like chicken on nachos but these were very good. Could've used a few more chips for the amount of toppings.

Very very underrated Mexican spot in Pittsburgh. If you've driven through south side to get on or off Hot Metal Bridge you've seen this spot without a doubt Have gone 3 times now. First two times I got tacos and they were solid. Double shelled which is an unwritten rule for a good taco. All should be juicy and packed with filling to where the double shell is a must !! The guac, queso and chips solid 3rd time I went I got a chimichanga just because I was feeling gluttony and I'm a little upset I went that route. Sauce needed a little more spice in it and the filling of the burrito was less bang for your buck compared to the tacos. Also got am empanada and it was way more dough than filling Inside is okay. Floors were a tad bit dirty. Every waiter we had was always very polite Not my favorite Mexican or taco in Pittsburgh but in my top 3-5

I absolutely love La Palapa! It is quickly becoming one of my staple Southside restaurant spots. The location is great; locate on E Carson in the middle of Southside. The service is always great and the staff are so friendly and attentive. The food is absolutely amazing. The portions are ginormous!! I get the chicken nachos for my meal every time and they are loaded with cheese and chicken. They have my favorite nachos in the city. Their margaritas are very good too. I think their prices are super reasonable as well. The vibe is very cute inside and they have a nice outdoor, covered patio!

4.4 average (yes, precise!). La Palapa restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine and also has a full-service bar. Menu items include soups, salads, appetizers (e.g., nachos and jalapeños rellenos), dozens of entrees (e.g., flautas, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, chicken, pork ribs, lamb, tilapia, and several vegetarian dishes), several sides, and several desserts. The menu is available for dining in, takeout, delivery, and catering. I ordered lunch from La Palapa for delivery. Here are my and my husband's ratings for the foods: Empanada - 4.5 stars - This empanada was available in several flavors, and I selected the shrimp. The empanada was large, had a crispy dough, and contained juicy and flavorful shrimp. On the side was salsa. Fajitas nayarit with side of plantains - 4.5 stars - A few proteins were available, and I chose steak. The steak tasted good. The chef included a very large amount of fresh peppers as well as rice, beans, and some pineapple. Tamales - 4 stars - A corn-based tamale was filled with my choice of filling, which was vegetables, and was wrapped in a corn husk. On the side was salsa. Tacos - 4 stars - Several possible fillings were available, and I chose the rajas con papas (poblano peppers and potatoes). I felt thankful that the soft taco shells did not get very soggy during transport. I might have given these tacos a higher rating if I had ordered a different filling. Carne asada - 5 stars - The flank steak was *very flavorful*. My husband felt surprised to see squash, cheese, and cactus. On the side was perfectly cooked rice.

Delicious Mexican food, great service, and good vibes all around. Plus reasonable prices! Who could ask for anything more?

I can't believe I've never reviewed La Palapa before! I love the drinks and food here. Everything I've had is delicious and so well made. I love how authentic it all feels. The service is always very friendly albeit sometimes slow. My only complaint is the bathrooms. You go into this very cold basement space and the stairs are a little much sometimes. Their day of the dead celebration is to die for though!

WTH Sunday night waited 45+minutes for food? And nobody came and told us what's going on. So at this restaurant you normally wait this long for food? And they forgot one of the food we ordered until she came with bill and noticed that one of us don't have any foodreally not cool And normally when you're starving and waited a long time, anything should be taste extremely good but it's actually not I'm sorry the food was soso and the service was extremely BAD

Pretty decent Mexican food with solid prices. I've definitely had better but it's not bad. I also know they have some sort of food truck but I ordered from the physical restaurant. I tried the cheese quesadilla and the churros with strawberry ice cream. The quesadilla was just very average. It was crispy but only on the very edges, and it wasn't grilled. The cheese was tasty but also very mild. It was only one kind of cheese too. It was served with a very standard sour cream, not that flavorful. Probably wouldn't recommend. The churros were similarly very average. Decent portion but pretty expensive and mediocre flavor. Had a sort of stale edge to it and not much sweetness. The ice cream was tasty but also similar to something you'd get at a grocery store. Not the best. However, the plantains were delicious. Soft, sweet, and just perfect. They were the best thing about this meal. All in all, the place was just okay. I'd rather go to another spot or order something else from this one.

A family favorite Traditional Mexican cuisine with family style seating. The service was exceptional & the staff was visiting with us like they were extended family. Jesus was amazing! We were all in town visiting my father - so we had a party of 6 today. My father and brother in law couldn't say enough great things about the good on our drive over... I was not disappointed- The carne asada was one of the best I'd ever had and my side of plantains were perfectly cooked, sweet and delicious. My grandmother loved her food as well, she's usually the hardest to please. He only gripe? That she wasn't served a set of scissors to cut her meat (don't worry we got it done) 6 out of 6 loved their entrées.

I've never had a bad meal here!! Amazing & authentic Mexican food. So much flavor. I wish they would sell their in-house homemade green hot sauce it is soo good. Their Birria tacos are to die for! I recently had birria at a group dinner at Emiliano's and it was so bad and half the size of LaPalapas!! The drinks are delicious and strong. Big drinks and margs. The ambiance inside is pretty and also authentic, feels like you're not in Pittsburgh. The owners of the restaurant are as sweet as can be! Just all around a great spot for quality Mexican food!

Great vibes, food and staff!! Everyone was so friendly and they were able to make separate chips from scratch in a separate fryer to ensure they were gluten free. We loved that they made the guac at the table and that we could choose our toppings. We had tacos (the chicken taco was the best), a quesadilla, flautas de pollo, and an empanada.This is a great casual Mexican spot. We really enjoyed.

Good location, but the food is just eh-average. My biggest issue was that the food was not warm enough, and it wasn't even because there were too many people lol. The fact that the side is fries is also kinda "non authentic" The price was quite expensive in my opinion, but maybe that's the market in Pittsburgh.

Had a delicious meal from the very fresh Tableside guacamole to the Mexican style chicken tacos to the house margarita. I really liked the more authentic style Mexican tacos, they had good flavor. The restaurant was decorated for Christmas and also has nice decor with tall ceilings, so it is a very open feeling. Definitely will return!

This place is great. We ordered takeout, and everything was very well packaged and ready exactly when it was expected to be. The menu included a fairly wide range of standard Mexican options, including many vegetarian items (soy-based chorizo, mushrooms, spinach, etc.). The Ensalada Palapa was a nice refreshing start. The various vegetarian tacos were flavorful and not overwhelming in size. The vegetarian fajitas were outstanding, particularly when paired with some chiles toreados. Just about the only item that could have been a little more flavorful were the salsas: the salsa roja wasn't far off from tomato puree, and the salsa verde wasn't far off from tomatillo puree. Neither salsa was bad: they just could have used a little more chiles, lime, something. That having been said, the guacamole and pico were great. Highly recommend.

Will not return. No chips/salsa at a Mexican restaurant? Order through the app...fine, but they couldn't even get that right (no sour cream written in notes). Guac was good, hence the 2nd star, but enchiladas were below average. Pay the tab through Toast, fine, but asking for a full tip when there was not a single visit to offer even more water? I still have a full tip, but weak experience.

I had a reservation for a group of 8 on a Friday night and we were seated upstairs right away. We were the only ones seated upstairs so our group had the room all to ourselves. I got the house marg to drink which was good but I tried my friend's passion fruit margarita which was even better! I got the enchiladas verdes y mole poblano as my entree. I enjoyed the mole sauce but thought that the flavor of the verde sauce was a bit lacking. The food wasn't that warm either but overall it was a decent meal!

I have gone a few times after my initial review and unfortunately it was salty each time. We went for brunch and again salty and not tasty chilaquiles. My friend got guac and she said it did not have any taste to it. Have been pretty disappointed every time I have gone after my initial visit.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Mine was spent with great friends and my first time at La Palapa in South Side! As expected, it was busy! But they had drinks in their outdoor courtyard/patio to consume while you waited. We had less than a 20 minute wait which was great for dinner time on the holiday. We sat in their upstairs indoor area. It's a small room that gets noisy quickly, but the restaurant was packed, so again to be expected. We ordered their Three to Share, which comes with guac, pico, and queso. The queso came out a bit cold but it was still delicious. They were happy to refill our chips as needed. I ordered a peach margarita on the rocks. I personally wouldn't order this flavor again, it had a super artificial peach syrup taste I wasn't expecting. I ordered a strawberry margarita on the rocks, and that was delicious! For my main I got the Al Pastor Quesadilla, which I enjoyed! Others at the table enjoyed the birria tacos and tamales. One of the owners also checked in on us throughout our time there to ensure we were having a good experience. That was a great personal touch, and I look forward to going back to support this business again!

Quiet, dark and rainy outside when I entered. Soothing warmth inside, low key with rhythmic dance music videos playing. First time here and waiting for friends at a table looking outside at the bridge traffic. Reviewing the menu and the drink list. A drink in hand by the time friends arrived. Tall margaritas, slightly salty, ok but not what I'm used to. Neither was the red (more pink) sauce that came with the nachos. But it grew on us as we pretty much finished it off. Burritos with chicken and cheese were yum; and my friend loved the mole. Quesadilla with barbacoa and two different toppings was too good and too much. Half went home with me. I'd go back... also, one of my companions said they sometimes have a band. Definitely will look into that.

Being from Mexican background, this is a legit Mexican restaurant. The bartender was very friendly and served me a Michelada. They give you chicharrones for starters (Which is legit, authentic). The flautas of potato were amazing, unfortunately I was called to work and had to leave before finishing my whole meal so I got it to go. Had a chance to talk to the owner who was very nice as he was behind the bar for a bit. Great service and great quality Mexican food! If I'm ever back in the area I will for sure coke back!

Had a great dinner experience while celebrating a friends birthday! We had a reservation since we had a large party of over 10 people. There were no issues making the reservation and the table they had set up for us was perfect. We sat out back on the covered patio which was perfect. Plenty of space for our large group. Inside there was lots of seating as well. When you make a reservation you can ask specifically for indoor or outdoor seating. All the staff was very nice and friendly! They made recommendations since it was my first time there. I tried the birria taco and it tasted great! You could also get an order of three different tacos which was a popular choice for many in my group. The burritos tasted great as well! They had lots of options of traditional Mexican cuisine. Great experience and look forward to coming back here soon!

One of the best if not the best Mexican restaurants in Pittsburgh always hard to find some good Mexican but this is the stop!! The food is amazing drinks are so good as well We went for brunch this past Sunday and you won't leave hungry or unhappy from this spot!! The service was very helpful when we asked questions about items and definitely gave us honest opinions. The ambiance is truly Mexican from the decor to music it knocked out all the boxes. So now to the food We got the Dip trio which was so good the guac was my fav but the cheese and pick hit as well The Breakfast burrito is a meal meant for two and being there was 2 of us we were so happy!! The Chilaquiles was also a great dish with steak and eggs you can't go wrong so definitely another large dish and we'll prepared Mimosa's are 6$ this was a special so we thought we had to get it and it was soooo good and refreshing

When I'm asked my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh, the answer is always La Palapa! The only thing I don't like about it is that I always want to order 10 things off the menu. I'll start with the tortilla soup - it is AMAZING!!! I don't eat meat and this is the only restaurant I've found that has a vegetarian version of it. The broth is *chef's kiss*. The jalapeño cheese dip - also amazing! I always get a veggie empanada as well (I've heard all of their empanadas are great). As for the entrees, lots of great options for vegetarians as well. The enchiladas rancheras and enchiladas rojas are delicious! I always leave here super full but it's worth the calories.

My first time at the brick & mortar La Palapa and it did not disappoint. The wait staff was so kind and attentive and service is fast! Each table gets chicharrones and a smoky hot sauce as a starter. I would personally prefer complimentary chips & salsa, but I realize this is a more authentic spot and it gives it some character. We ended up ordering chips anyway with the freshest homemade pico de gallo. Our waiter recommended La Campechana Margarita for drinks, which I was already eyeing. It was a super fresh marg made with no mix, just how like it. Fresh citrus only. I ordered one of the house specialties, the Enchiladas Nortenas, which was so flavorful and delicious. You get 3 enchiladas, a side of rice and pinto beans, and a casual "side" of steak which is really a whole flank steak. Safe to say I did not finish my plate but enjoyed every bite. My partner also ordered one of the specialities, the birria tacos, and raved about them. This is a great spot to visit when you're craving good quality Mexican food and good atmosphere-- both indoors and out.

Always a 5 star experience. Love the food, drinks, and atmosphere Oscar, jesus, and all of their team provide.

The food is ok as long as you don't have to use the banjos. Sticky floor, steps, etc. pretty unsanitary, I hope the kitchen is better!

Amazing food and great service! Definitely recommend this south side staple to anyone looking for great Mexican cuisine.

My worker and I both enjoy Mexican food and after solid reviews on here, we tried La Palapa last night and we were not disappointed. Everything we tried was amazing, the Birria tacos (sp?) were amazing. The home made hot sauces were amazing, the Smokey chipotle red and the verde sauce were top notch. Excellent selection of tequila and mezcals as well. I will be back to this place, it's small so don't miss it!

I have had a lot of empanadas in my days, and this is the BEST empanadas I have had. I didn't even take a picture. It was crunchy and covered in mole sauce and green salsa. I got the burrito which had the same sauces as the empanada, and it was so good. The patio space is really nice! The outside of the restaurant is a little deceiving, it is so cute inside! I would definitely come here again.

Guacamole table side was really cool! Service was excellent! I had the Birria with pork and loved it. I dipping sauce was delicious! The mango coronarita was a refreshing treat!

Yummy place for authentic tacos. They start with chicharrones and hot sauce for all the meals. I've been craving birria tacos and I think this is one of the few places that serve it. Definitely not the best I've ever had because it doesn't pack a punch like other birrias. It's not crazy rich and a bit on the watery side. The filling of the tacos don't look like it was stewed in the Birria or if they were the soup is just too light. However, the flavors are still right and the tortilla is fried to a nice crisp. I would definitely recommend getting with cheese for an extra $1. The burrito came with two sauces, neither very spicy-- flavorful enough. Fries were not bad. I still overall really like their tacos and they have a big cocktail and beer selection which is nice. Overall, a bit pricy but still a solid place for sit down tacos.

Always a great experience at La Palapa! I've been a patron at the South Side location for years and am thrilled to be able to enjoy their incredible food at Lawrence Hal in Lawrenceville as well. Thank you Jesus and team for always providing the freshest, most delicious food (get the guac!) and for the exceptional customer service

Amazing food & service!! My mom recommended this place and we were not disappointed. I frequently get Mole enchiladas when appropriate and my boyfriend always gets birria tacos. We were blown away!! My boyfriend and I loveee Mexican food and being hispanic, I'm always on the hunt for the best Mexican food. We have tried multiple places in Pittsburgh and have been very disappointed. The Mole Enchiladas, Birria Tacos, salsas & margaritas were top tier and highly recommend them!!!! Met with the owner and he was so kind and the staff as well. Love this place and will be going back!

I get it now -- why my favorite foodies gush about La Palapa! When you step into La Palapa, the colors and decor transport you to Mexico, and then the food does it all over again! Pro Tip: Park on the street behind Carson if you don't mind a small walk.

Nice restaurant, good atmosphere and the meals were super large. I enjoyed the Guacamole a lot. I ordered fish taco which was good, my friends ordered enchiladas and they said they were delicious. The beans were tasty and I thought it was a good addition to the tacos. I'm not sure what the fish was but it wasn't that great. I would definitely go back to try more food from their menu.

I ate at LaPalapa at Lawrence Hall.I got chicken enchiladas and really enjoyed.They were very filling and flavorful.I will return.

Guac made at your table- fantastic, huge burritos and birria- meat tacos with amazing dipping sauce Add to that an attentive waiter and server and nice Mexican decor- go and enjoy

We came in about 10 minutes before closing not knowing they were to close soon but they were super nice and accommodated us anyway. The service was so great and we ordered as fast as we could. I had the barbacoa and pulled pork taco. They were both filled to the brim with meat! I also had a side of their plantains. The house margarita hit the spot and I'm excited to return more yummy goodness!

We had a late lunch at La Palapa and it was fine. I really love the south flats area. This place is like on one end of it. The restaurant is a nice place with seating, bar, etc. The staff were all native Spanish speakers. Basically the challenge started here we tried to request some minor customizations to our order. The waiter had a lot of difficulty understanding that we wanted nachos without the meat, for example, and he could substitute in beans instead of the meat. Even after explaining it multiple times, we got nachos with no beans. And then we asked for the beans after receiving the plate, and he finally brought us a bowl of pinto beans, but he charged us extra for it. And I'll also add that their beans were pretty much flavorless. So beans or no beans, it was just a filler. The enchiladas, the red sauce was almost flavorless and the verde sauce was low on flavor as well. I think that's the theme with the food that the preparation was low flavor. Maybe we're more accustomed to tex mex flavor pow boom bang! Anyway, we were on vacation and enjoying the day, so we were like whatevs and we enjoyed the lunch. Plus we were starving as it was already 4pm. Thanks for a good time.

Made the 50 min trip from Gbg to try it, and would gladly do it again. My 6 yr old son and I (best bro date ever,) started with what I THOUGHT was just chips and guacamole. Then a cart showed up with fresh avocados in a Molcajete (mortar & pestle,) and was asked what ingredients and how much of each for a customized guac....TBH I was expecting bagged guac most restaurants use, even cubed frozen avocados, nope.... Having this to start out has done 2 things, one great....one bad. 1. My son may have gotten over his dislike of "potatoes" (what he calls tomatoes, I've tried, I'm letting him run with calling them whatever he wants, it makes me smile.) 2. By the time we got home, he wanted a snack. and asked for guac, but was not happy with the Aldi's guac in my fridge, he wanted fresh made in my Molcajete that's sat on my counter as "decoration" ever since my old roommate left it behind 7 years ago. ‍ Well played La Palapa. I also added a chicken Tamale with Green Chili sauce on one side, and Mole on the other, sadly, it was gone before my son could share much I did not partake in any cocktails being either my son, but the ones I saw made, and the drink list was beyond your typical Mexican Cocktail List made for yinzers, and hope to return to enjoy another time. His Quesadilla was way beyond a typical kids quesadilla with melted blended cheese and a tortilla, with enough flavored chicken and flavor, that Dad ate the leftovers as soon as we got home and was impressed. I had the Mocajete with chicken, steak, shrimp, peppers, rice, beans, etc. I didn't leave hungry, but smelling the leftovers on the way home made sure it didn't last to going in the fridge. Because we were fortunate enough to come during their celebration of De Los Muertos, we had Pan de Muerto and hot chocolate for dessert. We were seated in the enclosed patio so I and he could not take much in as far as the amazing decor of the everyday decor, the Alibrijes (neon animals from Coco Disney film for parents.) Or the tasteful and proud Ofendra altars for lost loved ones, but we were able to visit them, and write the names of a loved one on a butterfly before leaving. On the other hand, we were able to enjoy a soccer match broadcast with a legion of fans, apologies for not knowing either team involved, but the atmosphere was exciting. The only negative, that I have, if it is one, is there as far too much that I want to try. I had the special soup, but the other two available I want to try. I didn't even touch any of the specialty dishes, or the tamales, or the flan, or the burritos, or the seafood,. It's great, because I and my son could've easily had any item off the menu and enjoyed, including the beef tongue. I cannot wait to go back, and come warm weather season, if we have it again in Pittsburgh, that'll be the best hour long drive windows down for some of the best food I've had in the area.

This is the second time that I've been to La Palapa, and the first time my girlfriend and I didn't have the best experience with food. But, we've heard so many good things about the restaurant that we decided to give it another chance! We came for their brunch that's served on the weekend, and had an okay experience. My girlfriends breakfast burrito was by far the best thing we had, and was flavorful and loaded! But the enfrijoladas were not the best. I felt as if I could easily make these at home, and had to add a lot of hot sauce to give it any flavor. I originally intended to order the Molletes Palapa, but they said they were all out of the bread used for the dish which was disappointing. Maybe we'll give it a shot again sometime in the future, and maybe we've just gotten unlucky both times we've been

Came here for a birthday lunch about a month ago with my friend. I walked in on a rainy Friday, wasn't given a menu but was seated, and waited at least 10 minutes to be greeted by a server. There were also no other tables being waited on, so to wait for 10 minutes without a menu was a little excessive. Our server was nice, though could have filled our waters several times throughout lunch. Food was okay; nothing spectacular. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this to friends, but will say that they have some authentic Mexican dishes (such as birria) on the menu. Food was pretty decent.

The menu was so extensive and interesting, it was hard to settle on something this evening. Eventually went for the burrito Steelers since it seemed like a popular choice on yelp. Everything was cooked well and the flavors meshed well together. I ordered take out and there were plenty of sauces to slather over the top of the burrito, which made it even more interesting. The prices were reasonable, though I wish their specialty dishes would come with a side or two--it's always nice to have a burrito with a side of beans and rice, but, all good. Take out was ready on time and in the heating cabinet upon my arrival. Quick, easy, filling and definitely worth coming back to to try more menu items

Had some tacos from their food truck at an event recently and they were great! I loved the flavors and that they had rice in the tacos too.

This spot has a lovely patio once the weather breaks. They have a very extensive menu which is somewhat overwhelming. We had good food and drinks, but the service was mediocre. We tried to ask a few questions about the menu and were not met with much help. I may go back if we are in the area, but there's other spots that I prefer for Mexican food.

When first walking into this establishment I was excited. I thought what a charming well decorated cute Mexican restaurant on Carlson street this is going to be great place to eat. Oh boy were we wrong, undercooked dishes, no salsa, lack of water and MICE! This is one of those places that you quickly realize you can't judge a book by the cover kinda place. First off we were brought some sort of fried flour rings, I guess they were all right because my husband ate a few of them without any complaints. However, I was unable since they were flour fried rings rather than your typical corn tortillas (which are typically gluten free) Mexican restaurants are notorious for providing along with complimentary fresh salsa. For us this is the first and most crucial part of the Mexican restaurant experience. For us a Mexican restaurant has to have great salsa to be one of our top rated Mexican restaurants and are a full sit down restaurant they should be completely complimentary unless you are just a Taqueria. Next is the chips need to be good and crispy. Should be a no brainer, right? Unfortunately, for this over priced Mexican restaurant does NOT provide salsa just chips. Instead they offer cheap Tapatio sauce from in a shake drop jar. Instead we decide to order an appetizer. We ordered the cream cheese stuffed jalapeño bacon wrapped poppers. I love jalapeño poppers so was excited to see them on the menu. Other than choosing to eat at this place ordering the jalapeño poppers was my second bad decision for the evening. Stuffed Jalapeño poppers shouldn't be difficult, but apparently for this place it was impossible. The first batch that came out were way undercooked not only was the Jalapeño still crisp and not cooked even the cheese was still cold. We told the waitress they were undercooked so she took them back and had them cook them longer. They came back out looking a bit more charred but when we cut into them and tried a bite we were astonished they still were raw jalapeños. Again told them they weren't fully cooked and did not want to eat raw jalapeños. They were taken away but then they wanted to charge us half the cost of them after trying only one of the six in the order and not once but twice cooked were still completely raw. It's like they threw them in a really quick hot flame instead of a low heat flame/grill so they could cook thoroughly. For my main course I ordered Lengua topped with Verde. It was really good and my husband ordered the Flautas. Those too were made nicely and we both enjoyed them. We both ordered drinks with the husband ordering beer and me a margarita on the rocks. The margarita was about average. Nothing great but not terrible. But when I ordered a second one I was brought a frozen Margarita. When the owner came by I started to say something about the drink and he quickly saw that it was a frozen and knew I had been drinking on the rocks. He took it away but then returned with it looking like the slushy part mixed in with some cubes to try and say no it's actually on the rocks. I could still see the slushiness of a frozen margarita and said as much and that I don't want a frozen/slushy drink and will pass on any more attempts. When the check arrived I was astonished to see that the undercooked Jalapeños were on our ticket when the cooks couldn't even cook them thoroughly as they should be. It was then attempted to charge us $6 for a half eaten jalapeño. The full experience and the haggling we had to embark upon with an undercooked dish, a wrong margarita and lack of water during our meal and as astonishing not to mention the MICE running around our feet and the restaurant as we tried to dine. Oh yeah, there's mice that aren't even afraid of you sitting there.

Great, authentic Mexican cuisine representative of several Mexican states. Very nice selection of tequilas, mezcal and cervezas! Friendly staff and ownership too.

I have been wanting to visit La Palapa for years. I've tried their soups many times during the South Side Soup Crawls and they were always amazing. La Palapa's website offered 3 ways to order- over the phone, online, or by text (which is a different number than by phone). I was hesitant to order online because I had a coupon for free veggies tacos and I didn't know how to enter that online. I called several times and it would ring a couple times then say the mailbox wasn't working. I then texted my order and hoped for the best. When I got down there they did not have my order. I then ordered again and they said it wouldn't be long. We ordered the Enchiladas Verdes o Rojas with Soyrizo, a Chorizo Quesadilla, Kids Cheese Quesadilla, and the Veggie Tacos (mushroom and poblano pepper). I waited 45 minutes and when my order came out they forgot the tacos. I waited another 5-10 minutes for the rest of the order. When I got home the food was still hot which was a plus. The Quesadillas and tacos were good. My hubby said the enchiladas were just okay. It was a poor experience overall with them not having my order and having to wait so long for it. Next time I will stick with the soup which I know I like.