La Tiendita Mexican Restaurant

La Tiendita left a bad taste in my mouth. So I found this place while visiting Tallahassee on business. I stopped in for dinner on a Monday after a flight in, sat outside, and was *blown away* by the food. Nothing was bad. The salsa slapped, the lengua gordita was a pocket of goodness, the tings tostada had avocado and crema with cilantro, and the Chile relleno platter cooked to perfection. Not greasy, not overly fried, cheese was gooey in the center. Sauce was great. The rice? So flavorful and delicious. Things were so good I decided to return again during my brief 4 day stay in the area. Man do I regret that decision. I returned on Wednesday for dinner after working, sat inside and got started. The server was pleasant and made suggestions and guided me through ordering. I took her suggestions and was greatly anticipating dinner. The salsa was a bit flat this time around. I don't know if it was old, or it was close to the end of the night, but it wasn't the same heavenly mana as before. When my order arrived, I was a bit surprised to see the portion sizes. The especial de la casa lengua en roja had two pieces of tongue that looked to be about 4oz total. Rice portion and beans were noticeably smaller than two days ago. The rice and lengua were not as flavorful tonight. Not a good value for $18. I had ordered a second entree, the Diablo burrito with steak to take for my lunch the next day, but was still hungry after the surprisingly light portion of tongue and so tucked into that next. Flavors were good, the spice level was just right. Portion was again a bit small for a $16 burrito, with the rice just meh and the beans a bit runny. While eating the burrito, another server came by to check on the table. This was not my server - she was bussing the table behind mine. When she asked how things were, I had a mouthful, so I nodded yes, thumbs up. I saw she had a pitcher in her hand, so I passed my water glass to her for a refill. She took it, said "oh, water?" and I nodded yes. She had a microfiber towel in the same hand as the pitcher, and when she went to fill the glass, had some problems and moved behind me to fill the glass. I heard ice rush into the glass, and she set it back down on my table. I thanked her, picked up the glass, and took a swallow. Something was bad. The refilled glass was... wrong. It tasted like an old, watered down margarita. Here's what I can put together: When the other server checked on me, she had a pitcher from another, dirty table in her hand. She used this pitcher which had (?) old margaritas from another table to fill my water glass. I got a mouthful of something from another table that I have no way of knowing if glasses or anything was emptied into the pitcher before it went into my glass when the table was being bussed. When I realized this, I took the glass to my server and let her know that something happened, and the water tasted like old watered down margaritas. She was apologetic, and got me a fresh glass of water. She also asked if I needed a box, which I did not at that point. When paying, my server again asked how things were. I replied "Well, other than getting a mouthful of an old margarita from someone else's table, it was okay. " She did apologize again. I replied "it happens." Paid, tipped, and left. I cannot express how disappointing my second trip to this establishment was. Everyone has bad days, I get it. It seemed that today was definitely the "B" team with front and back of house. The inconsistency broke my heart, truly. I had decided that with my limited time in town, I'd return to this restaurant and support your business instead of patronizing a competitor. I was looking forward to this meal, and had called others to let them know how stoked I was to be coming back to try new dishes on your menu. Having worked in industry for more than 23 years, I can with 100% certainty say I have never filled a guest's glass with trash/waste from another table. Never. This place left a bad taste in my mouth.

I always enjoy my meal here. Service can get backed up if they are busy, especially for takeout, but dining in is always a pleasure. Food is good and it has a cozy hole in the wall feel.

They serve up a variety of tacos, but the birria tacos stole the show—tender & juicy, yet not greasy at all. A rare find! The unassuming, hole-in-the-wall vibe just adds to the experience. The house chips and salsa was home made and addicting.

Nice authentic Mexican Restaurant! Food was excellent. The cantaloupe water was so fresh and delicious.

Small place very quaint. Server was great and attentive. The food was hit or miss. Salsa was good with a nice spicy kick. Rice was seasoned well, delicious. My plantains were burnt so sent them back. Chicken and shrimp Fajitas not bad but little dry. You had to ask for lettuce and sour cream but had to pay for spoonful of Guacamole so I declined. My Son did not like his birria beef tacos, he said lacked flavor sent it back.

My now husband and I catered La Tiendita for our wedding in Tallahassee. We had chicken and steak tacos, toppings, beans and rice, chips with salsa and queso, and churros for dessert. They were incredible! Nora made the planning process super simple and made sure to get our paperwork to us on time for our venue. Nora arrived early on our wedding day to set up with her team of staff, and took great pride in making sure everything was safe, delicious, and beautiful for our special day. We ate there many times before our wedding, and we will continue to eat there many times after! Nora always remembers us when we dine here, and she checks up on us. We love La Tiendita!

Food was fantastic very well seasoned. The desserts are absolutely delicious. I would’ve taken a picture of the cheesecake and the chocolate pie with the cookies on the outside but we ate them Too quickly for a picture

Enjoyed dining outside on the patio. Food was very good! Felt like portions (both ordered quesadillas) could have been larger tho, had to remind self that this was not a lunch menu/lower price. Server was attentive and accommodating. Will dine here again.

It's been quite a few years since I have been here, and I understand they have changed owners in the meantime. Today's lunch was nothing short of exceptional. The service was super friendly, the chips and salsa amazing, the tamales were some of the best I've had, and the tacos were fantastic. Th chicken tamales with green sauce were addicting. When you next come here, try these. A slight kick, but the flavor is wonderful. The red tamales were also good - nice and earthy! As for tacos, I had the following: Cabeza Taco (cow cheek), Tripa Dorado (crispy fried tripe), and Tripa Taco. Quite excellent, all around, but my favorite were the tripa tacos. I can't wait to go back, which is different from where I was when I left many years ago. This new owner is bringing some amazing flavors to Tallahassee.

Had dinner there on our trip to FSU. Homeade guac and tacos were delicious, definitely would hit this place again. Servers were excellent as well

Wow! So good! I haven't had Mexican food this good since I lived on the west coast. I ordered takeout and even after the long drive home it was still 10/10 so I literally cannot wait until I can go again! The restaurant is fun and colorful and it feels like the owner is really proud of their food which always makes a dining experience special.

Good food and decent prices! I had been looking for a good Mexican place in town and I look forward to trying this place out again soon.

No lo recomiendo más de una hora para una orden un pésimo servicio muy mala experiencia I definitely don't recommend taking too long to get an order. Very bad experience, it was the first time I visited the place and I never returned. I paid for the order without taking anything and decided to leave.

We found ourselves craving Mexican while visiting Tallahassee and decided to give La Tiendita a try. While we looked over the menu, we were provided plenty of chips and yummy salsa. We ultimately decided on the Choriqueso dip and the Mexican Burrito, which can be served with your choice of steak or chicken. The portion was good, everything was fresh, and tasty. I look forward to returning to La Tiendita and trying some of their specialty drinks. We will definitely make this a regular stop on our travels to Tallahassee.

The restaurant is beautiful and vibrant! We went on cinco de mayo, it was busy so it's was pretty impressive that my three friends and I were greeted almost immediately! No long waits on drinks, which tastes superb! My friend's food looks good! I was running late, so I ordered basic veggie quesadilla via my friend. Unfortunately, it didn't come with a side of beans,rice, salad like many others would offer. I left still feeling hungry. However, I'm sure if I visit the second time around, I feel confident that there'll be a difference/ 4 stars possibly. Overall, food was tasty with average of $10 per meal/person.

I'm so disgusted that I have to even give them one star and I don't think I've ever felt like this about a Mexican Restaurant. Upon entering they seemed busy up front and slow in the back. I can always reason with being understaffed but the flavor and quality of your food has to compensate for the wait and frustration. Random bugs flew around so I'm not sure if the nat that I shook off my chip towards the bottom of the salsa would've been the first or third bug I had eaten. The silverware was dirty, the beans tasted sour, the rice could've did without green/Lima beans, the street elotes was slathered in mayo instead of Mexican creama and the carne asada taco was so dry that I could barely swallow it. My carnitas taco had a good flavor but was also dry and my friend (a grown man) ordered the quesadilla and it really looked like a soft taco, I've never seen a quesadilla that small unless it was on the kids menu. I sent back the rice/beans and the elotes and asked for them to be removed from the bill. She said she did and the receipt would be emailed, but I knew something was fishy so I waited for the paper copy and she left one of the items on. It's okay though because I never plan on even driving past this place again.

Great place to eat. Their outdoor patio is beautiful. The only issue is that it is next to a main street so it can be a little noisy but still a good place to eat. The food is fresh and delicious. The have a pretty extensive menu so there's definitely something for everyone. Would definitely come back!

Definitely worth a visit if your in the area! Tacos were very good! Ingredients were fresh.

Mediocre at best. Please tell me where we can find great authentic Mexican food in Tallahassee? Servers were pleasant. But salsa was watery. Refried beans were flavorless. Chicken in the burrito was dry.

I visited this place for Taco Tuesday and it was everything I wanted food-wise and more! The service was bit slow but the food was amazing! This place has really upgraded since the last time I came here. I had the shrimp tostadas along with a carne asada taco and carne asada taco. I honestly can say everything that I had was very good. I love the crema sauce that came on the sope. It was a really nice touch. My only complaint was I wish there was a little more spice in the dish. I had the Jamacia (sp) for my drink and I love that it came it a large mug. It's usually served in smaller portions so that was refreshing. This place was so good I almost came back for Cinco de Mayo the next day. Lol

If you are looking for delicious authentic Mexican food La Tiendita is a must try! We popped in after driving from Tampa to drop my son at college. We were starving, so happy the food was flavorful and the portions were large. The homemade salsa had some kick and the chips were fresh. We enjoyed tacos and enchiladas with rice and beans. There is a decent amount of indoor seating, no frills or a fancy inside but definitely worth a visit.

La Tiendita has easily become my favorite Mexican restaurant in town. The Owner is very kind and the food is so delicious. The elotes are the best in town for sure! I couldn't get enough. They also serve Brazilian food, which we plan to try out next time we go. Everything is so authentic and tasty!

La Tiendita Mexican Restaurant is a small Mexican restaurant located on Monroe Street in Tallahassee, Florida. This establishment is definitely the epitome of your mom and pop location and like many of these small mom and pop joints, kicks out some amazing food. As I said, it is a small place, but they do offer outdoor seating and maybe a dozen tables inside. They also have a little room that offers Brazilian treats. The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive and the owner was consistently walking the floor, making sure that the customers were getting the best experience and was outgoing and friendly. The salsa and corn chips was a great beginning to what would be a great meat. The salsa was chunky and full of flavor. The corn tortilla chips were great, as well. The food was very good and would be something that I would expect to be served in a home. I had the chicken in a salsa verse sauce and when it came out it was chicken on the bone. Very good and very home style. The rice and beans were excellent. If you find yourself in Tallahassee, Florida, I would definitely recommend a visit here. Excellent food, friendly service in a warm atmosphere make for a winning combination.

This review is for Via Brazil, a new endeavor from the family that owns and operates La Tiendita. And it's right next door! They recently opened for all day breakfast with an amazing menu. We did an embarrassingly large curbside order today to give it a try. And everything was fabulous! So what did we get? Here we go: Misto Completo: this is a ham, cheese, bacon, and tomato sandwich, topped with a fried egg, oregano and olive oil, served on a freshly baked French roll Choripan: Argentinan chorizo on a freshly baked roll with grilled onions and chimichurri sauce on a fresh baked French roll Pamonha a Moda: Brazilian sweet corn tamale stuffed with cheese and sausage Pao de queijo regular and Pao de queijo com queijo catupiry: these are cheese bread (regular) and cheese bread stuffed with catupiry cheese (Brazilian cream cheese) Croquetta de bacalhao: salt cod croquettes Coxhina de Frango e Catupiry and coxhina de bolinha de queijo: chicken and catupiry fritters and corn and cheese fritters. Polenta Frita: fried polenta fries And we ordered 6 of their fresh French rolls to go (they freeze perfectly). The food was just amazing. The sandwiches were unique and perfect. The tamale was different than a Mexican tamale as it was softer and tasted more like corn. It was also huge! The salt cod fritters were outstanding. And the coxhina were addictive. A few weeks ago I bought their O Portugues sandwich which is a fresh roll, toasted, with catupiry cheese, tomato, oregano and olive oil. I still think about how good that was! They serve breakfast starting at 8:00am during the week, 9:30 on Saturday, and 11:30 on Sunday. And they serve it all day. And did I mention that they bake the French rolls in house daily? And they serve dinner specials on Friday and Saturday evenings. What a great addition to the local food scene. Congratulations Sid and Nora

The food is delicious and deserves five stars, but the service was terrible. It was awful and slow. We often eat is at la tiendita, and every time is the same; even with new servers we always had the same bad experience when it comes to the server and the food taking forever. We arrive at La tiendita and 1:30 pm and left at 4:30 pm.

Today was a very bad day. I waited 40 minutes for my order (takeout). A couple who came after me were sitting behind me. They got their food first. I do not understand how the cooking staff can manage to prepare two plates of food ahead of an order of a single plate. That is when I decided to cancel my order. On my way to Taco Bell. This review is based on the service and not on the food. Never got to try it.

I would still prefer to drive the 20minutes to La Tiendita, rather than going to the closer Mexican restaurants down the road. The food here is amazing and flavorful. The prices are definitely very reasonable and more affordable than surrounding Mexican restaurants. The service is fairly fast, although it can get pretty busy during lunch rush.

Literally can't say enough good stuff about this place. The table salsa is absolutely fabulous and the Frescas are amazing. I love the ambience. This is my new go to spot. Hot, delicious food! Can't wait to go back.

Not authentic Mexican food like they advertise. Food was bland and felt trendy rather than authentic. Service and ambiance were great though! Overall, I'd skip this trip place and try somewhere else to eat.

By far the best Mexican food in Tallahassee. It is very authentic, affordable, and has a variety of meals to enjoy. Highly recommend!

They go by Wham! Bam! Burrito! On Uber eats. False advertising their restaurant name. The food is terrible and and portions are very small. Beware of this place.

I had a wonderful time at La Tiendita. The service was great and the food was fantastic!

A true Tally staple for Mexican food. I've come here for years throughout my undergrad years and after too. Their quality has always been impeccable for in person food I had a mishap at one point when ordering delivery but that was back when they were using an outsource third person delivery and renovating. They have since made up for it and have consistently provided kind and friendly service, hot fresh yummy food and a great atmosphere. Feel free to ask questions I'd you're unsure about spice level, ingredients or recommendations my boyfriend was not used to certain menu items and the staff has always been super nice responding! Checkout their Facebook page as I recommend attending one of their special events or celebrations it won't dissapoint!

Update: Friday Brazilian Steak Night We always forget they have the add'l menu. Tonight we tried it (to go) & both my husband & I more than happy by this choice. We were surprised by the amount of food - I could eat 3 meals. We ordered 2 Coxinha de Frango thinking it was one per order (see pic after eating some). We both got Picanha Platters but my hubby also got Linguiça. The steaks were cooked perfectly, the sausage was good, the rice was awesome... ok, everything was awesome. We also shared an order of churros!!! So good & perfect ending. We both have plenty of food leftover so the price point is worth it. The only thing they need to do is have someone proof their website menu - several typos - I had to look up the 3rd dish on their entrees to see what it was b/c reading it it says 'national fish'. I kept wondering what that was only to discover it should've said 'dish' not fish. From original review: We lived in San Diego for about 5 years - best Mexican food I've ever had! La Tiendita is as close as we're gonna get here in Tallahassee! Especially when they've made Agua de Jamaica (pronounced hah- MY-cah) - only place in town who makes it (I believe)! The food is great, too, & they've recently expanded to accommodate more ppl!! The only downfall we've have was a day that they started running out of the things we tried to order but that was a while ago! Oh, and it's easier to park in Barnacle Bill's parking lot unless you have a smaller car coz their parking lot is small

Service was slow, but the food made up for it. Will return for more authentic Mexican dishes

This past week I made the move to Tallahassee for graduate school that starts in a few weeks! I tried to do some exploring during breaks to get acquainted with my new city and I discovered this perfect Mexican restaurant! We were craving tacos and this place had excellent reviews- I had to try it! We ordered an assortment of treats-carnitas, cabeza, and al pastor tacos, yuca fries, chicken sope, verde tamale and cheese dip, all of which were amazing! The tacos were loaded with meat and topped with the perfect amount of onion and cilantro. All of the meat was delicious and fresh. The verde tamale was my favorite! It was soft, delicious and full of flavor-a must try. It was my first time trying a sope and I'm hooked. It was a fried tortilla topped with beans, lettuce, meat and cheese. The cheese dip was another star with its gooey consistency. They packed my to go order with a variety of sauces. The green salsa had a great kick and flavor. I will definitely eat back in no time and become a regular at this place in no time!

It was really excellent! I got the chile rellenos which was delicious. The carne asada gorditas my wife got were really delicious, and my carnitas tacos were flavorful and scrummy. The only problem we had was that we got absolutely no salsa. My tacos had no salsa, the gorditas had no salsa and the chips and salsa I ordered and paid extra for and I specifically ordered salsa verde, did not have any salsa. Luckily, we had salsa at home. And, we ordered the regular guacamole which doesn't have tomatoes. My wife is allergic, but we got the Mexican guacamole that had tomatoes and cheese on top. I loved it, but it was nor what we ordered. Other than these little snafus, it was yummy!

Awesome food. Salsa tasted fresh and authentic. Spicy queso was on point- just mix it up before you dig in. The enchiladas were delicious and the beans were really good also. I tried several of my friends dishes and they all were great as well. The only issue we had at as we had what seemed to be a new server but they were busy and she was trying. Lunch just took way longer than what we can take. I would definitely come back to try the barria tacos. They looked amazing.

Really enjoyed dining here while visiting Tallahassee! Truly understand why guys leaving when we were coming in said "best in Tallahassee" when I asked if food was good! Shared the salsa, yuca frita, Mexican guacamole Appel, then steak and chicken fajitas! Could NOT stop eating the salsa, it was sooo fresh and addicting! yuca frita was my try something new! The Yuca was cut and fried like fries and the Jalapeno Aioli was super tasty! I'm not a spice person and loved the tiny jalapeno kick of the dipping sauce. Mexican guac definitely fresh and on point! Only complaint about the chicken and steak fajitas, more meat please! Both chicken and steak super flavorful! Service was great and our server was super sweet, respectful and extremely knowledgeable about menu items when I asked a million questions. Love the space and wish it has been a little less windy to sit outside! Wish you had a location in Atlanta! Will definitely visit again if in Tallahassee! Thank you, thank you, Thank you! Back home now craving your salsa!

I ordered two items a la carte. The mushroom quesadilla was good, but the elote was completely mediocre (read boiled to death). And the service was unapologetically abysmal. They could not manage to get food to three of us at the table at one time, and I still didn't have the guacamole I ordered for the chips when I finished my dinner. First and last visit.

It's amazing really. I'm on the other side of the state and a friend texts me. We talk about tacos, and well, next thing I know I have a craving for them. I got out of a relatively nearby nail salon, determined to find tacos. A quick search led to La Tiendita Mexican Restaurant. I have to be honest. I wasn't expecting much. To begin with, I couldn't find the place. It's so small and it's hidden next to another restaurant whose name escapes me. Bill something maybe? Anyway, I eventually tried to find another restaurant to then finally find this one when I wasn't looking. What a huge pain! Ugh. Whatever. I was hungry, I parked, and stepped in. It looks like Coco threw up in there, mixed in with a lot of soccer. Not even kidding. The TV was blasting a soccer game. Oh boy. Then I get greeted in English and I speak Spanish and replied out of habit. Turns out the girl speaks Spanish and all of a sudden I felt as if I were a relative's house, because yes, I'm of Mexican descent. Anyway - this restaurant was also full of Mexicans, so good sign. Ordered carne asada tacos. They brought them out with a trio of sauces. Also had chips and salsa. Genuinely... I was flabbergasted. How can such an authentic and scrumptious gem be in Tallahassee of all places? Mind blown. Repetitively. And if that wasn't enough - I paid close to $7 for all this. How they say in Miami: "Bueno, bonito y barato." Translation: "Good, pretty, and cheap." In other words, my kind of place in a nutshell.

Authentic Mexican restaurant and market. The first thing you notice is no ground beef tacos on the menu. A very encouraging sign! Next your are greeted by friendly staff and an environment the looks and feels more like a market than a restaurant. Most importantly, the carne asada's were outstanding. Worth a trip all by themselves. The steak had a crispy edge to them that is unique and adds a perfect texture. There are small so get 3. The guac, offered in a Mexican style and house were both very good. I prefer the house but I am a fan of the flavor of avocado. I did not like the choriqueso as much... Finally, the pricing is incredibly reasonable. Surprisingly so. Do be prepared for a parking lot with 4 spaces up front, so you may need to walk.

Service was horrible, we waited for so long and the food tasted mediocre. A family of 4 came 25 minutes after us and they received their food first, how can this be possible? We bought margaritas and 4 full meals. NEVER AGAIN

The elote is absolutely fantastic. It's always tender and well flavored without being too spicy. I usually get the sope sencillo, while my partner usually gets the huevos rancheros. Everything is so great! I can't recommend it highly enough!

Best Tacos I ever had ! Great service. Easy to find. Try it you will be happy! See you there

I was visiting the Tallahassee area and Saw this Mexican restaurant on yelp. Mexican is my favorite food. When I arrived I was so hungry so my mom and I ordered everything it feels like. I had steak with rice and beans my mother had the soup I had also the Birria tacos, One Al Pastor taco and also corn which I forgot to take a picture of. Everything was very good. I love the flavor and that they put on the steak. I'm not sure it sort of taste like it has pineapple flavoring I'm not sure. We sat outside on the patio it was very nice. The staff was very friendly. Will definitely go back when I go back to Tallahassee.

My third go to on door dash! Always fresh. Never get my order wrong. I've tried and item from every category. Lol. It's a must!

The service was very good. Food was amazing! My son inhaled his burrito and that says a lot because he's a picky eater.

This is the place. I walk 30 min to get here. Flying all over the world makes me very picky on my tacos especially have a bf that is Mexican. There are 3 place beside this and I walk in those and the food looks the best and taste is like Mexico. Amazing waitress and service

I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did, the food was flavorful and delicious! The service was great, and the dessert was amazing! My boyfriend loved the churros, and the empanadas were steaming and fresh!

This is some of the best Mexican food I've had in a really long time. It's almost as though someone's grandma made it for you. Prices are also very reasonable.

Excellent authentic Mexican and Brazilian food. This is not a fancy environment but the walls are covered with Mexican memorabilia and very bright and colorful. I had the Mexican burrito with chicken but you can get it vegan. My husband got the enchilada. Both delicious and real, not Americanized latin fare. We would return! There's a Brazilian grocery attached.

Food was good, server nice but not overly accommodating. Would have loved to eat on the patio, but it was rainy. The restaurant filled up quickly.

Very good and authentic Mexican food. Great for the whole family too! I recommend stopping here if in town!

I'm really giving them a 3.5 stars just rounding up. I ordered a sangria, carne asada tacos and the Mexican guacamole. Everything was good. The guacamole was a tad too salty. The chips and salsa lacked enough salt. So, there's that. Service was slow but still pleasant. They get bonus points for the patio. I love outdoor seating. Overall a good experience. I'd return.

Tacos dorado with pork is a much welcomed deal in times of govt thievery. Tacos birria are the best I've had in three states!

I like the food here. Yes I do. Very much. Good food. I love food. I love food. Especially La Tiendita

What a great menu. And the service is so good. Being in the middle of a pandemic at the moment, it's also really nice that they have such a lot of comfortable outdoor seating. We love this place. There is also a little store inside, where you can find things you might not be able to find elsewhere in town.