Mama Lu's - A Modern Day Taco Shop

Totally recommend a visit. We were seated promptly. Staff is super friendly. GET THE STREET CORN. Thats our favorite along with the top shelf margaritas. The champagne margarita is tasty too. Got some nachos and the picked onion on that, just delicious. Very juicy and zesty. We tried the shrimp tacos, pollo tacos, pescado (fish, mahi) tacos. The shrimp tacos were ok, the spices were potent and it took away from the shrimp experience. But the pescado tacos were very good! Next time I will order all pescado tacos. The place is small and te tables are small so i dont recommend visiting after shopping around because of all the bags.

Upon arriving it was kinda busy but plenty of empty tables outside and in. We put in our name with the host that said there was two groups ahead of us and it would be under 30 minutes. 45 minutes later the host had sat 5 groups and most of them were the same party size that checked in after us. Having two toddlers and trying to celebrate my daughter’s birthday weekend it was frustrating. There was no safe place for us to wait with our girls. Then a two top finally opened up so I said can you just get us two high chairs and sit us at the two top. Finally after almost a hour of waiting we had a table. Which I loved sitting outside but the table was extremely weak it was scary. If I put my hand or arm on it then it felt like it would break. While our server was terrible our waitress was amazing. Adrian was top notch!! She brought things to distract the girls. When a second two top opened up she rushed to clean it off and help us merge them together for a more comfortable eating experience. She apologized for our extended wait that wasn’t even her fault. She also made sure to bring the kids food out first and was great about salsa and more refills. The food was decent. Somethings were amazing and somethings lacked execution. The kids menu had nachos listed which I thought would of been chips and sauce and meat etc. but it was chips with shredded cheese poorly melted on it. Major fail, my daughter picked off the cheese and just ate the chips. My other daughter ate the pb&j roll ups which was ironically genius. My husband ordered two beef and two pork taco. I ordered one beef one fish and one shrimp. The beef was terrible it was extremely thick and chunky and poorly shredded. The fish and shrimp were so good. The fish was bright and flavorful and the shrimp was spicy. While the shrimp was good it needed something to brighten it up and the fish needed something to spice it up. Tortillas were decent they fell apart half way through. They didn’t feel cooked enough and it broke.

I was really looking forward to this restaurant’s taco on « craft » street tacos based on the Google Map reviews. However, I came away very disappointed from my dinner visit last night. I am hoping that I just caught the restaurant on a bad night and that my visit is not typical of what diners should expect. First, the positives for the place are the upbeat atmosphere, the friendly service, and the convenient parking in the public lot less than a block from the restaurants. However, the negatives far outweigh the positives. The guacamole was over infused with lemon/lime and was lacking sufficient fresh cilantro and spicy chili heat. The chips were served cold and were lacking the saltiness needed to help the guacamole zing. The taco creations were served in cold, somewhat stale corn tortillas. The meat portions of the tacos were a bit skimpy. And, unfortunately the flavor food additions for each of the specialty tacos can be described by one word, « Meh ». The rice and beans side was the best dish that we sampled, but the cumin in this dish tended to overpower the other flavors.

First off, the food is the star. It is wonderful. Not the typical rice and beans fare at chain restaurants. This is handcrafted using quality products. The shrimp tacos were fantastic. The staff is friendly and attentive. They also are good local guides.

Amazingly cute place and great food. Ambience is so good. But tacos are on the very expensive side.

We ate dinner here during our trip to Traverse City. The food was absolutely delicious and a different take on tacos that we’d never experienced before. The salsa was SO good! It’s a little tight of a squeeze inside when it’s packed, but doable and the atmosphere and service is incredible!

We ordered the chips and salsa. The chips came with so much salt heaped on them that we made a plate to brush it off. We asked for a second basket and the salt was much less but still overwhelming. The fish tacos were wet from the fruit and sauce. The beef taco was good, the chicken taco was good as well. The veggie was sweet from the raisins. When we asked the waiter about the chips she was pretty apathetic, it was another waiter that overheard and fixed the problem. Overall, the atmosphere was nice, but the taste of salt is still in my mouth as I write this, so I’ll working on finding some more water…

This was probably one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. The wait staff was perfectly attentive, as our table was cleared of dishes the moment we were done with them, and then almost immediately asked if we were ready for anything else. The food was fresh and delicious, and the margaritas were at the perfect amount to sip at over the course of our meal. As a bonus, the wait was far shorted than expected. We were told an hour to an hour and a half wait for our table to be ready since we had forgot to reserve. But it only took about a half an hour to be ready!

So good! Accommodating for GF eating. Get that coconut margarita!!!! Dont think twice. We asked for GF chips and had queso, rice and beans and tried pollo and barbacoa tacos! So good.

The tacos were fantastic and the guacamole was unexpectedly amazing. Not a bad taco out of the 5 that we ordered. We didn't walk away hungry and felt that the tacos were well priced for the location. The interior was cozy and well decorated. The only issue is that the chips to guac ratio is off. Not enough guac or too many chips.

Great Food; the Guacamole is Delicious not to mention all the other food. While walking around downtown TC be sure to stop in

This place deserves above 5 stars! I went to Mama Lu's last night for the first time and I have lived in TC my whole life... I was missing out! The tacos are perfect and bursting with flavor, the nachos were super tasty, while not huge, they didn't make you feel gross after. The interior is absolutely adorable and the staff is so kind. Will be back (regularly) and eager to try more!!!

Very tight space. Good service. We were coming from a winery so we ordered non-alcoholic drinks- limeade and the pineapple agua fresca. They both were delicious and refreshing. Chips and queso (plus side of green salsa) - really good. We both ordered salads one with short rib and one with shrimp. They were okay didn't really give Mexican but a decent salad. Overall not a bad experience. Didn't give authentic Mexican, but it was good food. Id be interested in coming back to try the margaritas and the tacos which are more popular items.

I was so thrilled that we were able to get seated right away for dinner even on 4th of July weekend! We got lucky. The street corn at this place is to die for. I had it a few years ago and primarily came back just for that! Also had the vegetal taco and shrimp taco which were both excellent. Love the sauce on the shrimp taco! The restaurant is small so it's tougher to get in a large party. I would say 4 people or fewer is the ideal size party for this restaurant - they DO accommodate bigger groups, though, might just have to wait longer. But they're worth the wait!

I'm in Traverse City this weekend for my bachelorette trip, and this restaurant was suggested by the coworker of my future SIL. We showed up around 7:00 p.m. tonight and they quoted us 45 to 60 minute wait, but it only took like 25 which was great, especially since this is Fourth of July week and the cherry festival. I ordered the mango margarita which was very good. My FSIL got the habanero margarita I believe it was, and my friends got pineapple juice since they don't drink. We ordered the chips and salsa and also the queso dip, everything was good but the queso dip was really good. Just as an FYI, if you eat gluten-free, the chips have cross contamination, but they brought my friend a whole new batch of chips that were gluten-free, which was really nice. As for the tacos, I got the carne asada taco and the carnitas. Both were excellent but oddly enough I think I liked the carnitas one the best, even though I'm normally a steak girl. My friends all enjoyed their tacos as well, and my gluten-free friend got the salad which also looked good. Overall this place was delicious and I would return when in town. Tacos were a little pricey which is why I'm docking a star ($4.50 each, for smaller street tacos) but I'm sure that's on par with other places in town.

Delicious tacos and street corn and excellent service! Quaint and comfortable interior as well as outdoor seating.

When I received my tacos they were all cold. I bit into an ice cold chicken taco. The server had no apology just asked if I wanted a replacement and we had to leave for an event so we could not wait. I heard nothing from the waitress then she set my bill down and walked away and was not very friendly. Not sure we will go back.

This is quite a fun place and the tacos are yummy! We sat at the bar and the bartender provided great, friendly service. They were great about modifying the fish tacos--grilled instead of breaded- for my gluten-free companion. I appreciated that they offered a non-alcoholic beer, too.

Very good tacos- The barbacoa and carnitas were delicious! Everything was freshly prepared with a modern flair. Restaurant was clean and the service was friendly. Definitely will be worth a visit next time we are in town.

Like the name says, this place definitely has a modern (dare I say gourmet?) take on street tacos. They are small so order 3 and try a variety. My favorite was the carne asada, followed by the chicken. Get ready to be punched in the mouth, in a good way, by a flavor bomb! So fresh and seasoned. The shrimp taco was the least flavorful but still good. The street corn was just addictive and on the spicy side if you are more cautious. It did need some crème fresh to take it to the next level but overall we scraped the bowl. Neat place!

Got seated quickly at the bar. Order the chilaquiles and the huevos rancheros and we can recommend both! I do think the huevos was a little better. Tiny space but it helps create the atmosphere.

The good- we got a table immediately and the waitress was super nice. The bad- it was the first time either of us had tried street corn. I was excited and wanted to love it- but it was like mush on a stick. Horribly overcooked- you didn't even need to chew it. Also the taste was terrible- like cheap dried spices from a cupboard. the shrimp tacos were not much better. For $4.50 each, there was about a tablespoon of filling in each taco, and I only knew when I bit a shrimp because of the texture, they really had no flavor. All in all- not a great time.

The street corn was delicious! Ordering the high roller cocktail with the spritz of mezcal was the highlight! My carne asada taco was also delicious but I wished I had ordered the chicken taco because my friends couldn't stop talking about how delicious it was.

Mama Lu's is a very cute restaurant in the heart of downtown Traverse city. The restaurant has a relaxed vibe, tacos were great, and the service was quick. We will definitely be back next time we're in town.

From the first bite to the last, everything was fresh, flavorful, and unforgettable. The standout? The BEST guacamole I've ever had--perfectly balanced, creamy, and packed with flavor. Every taco was a hit, and my salad was really tasty too--fresh, well-seasoned, and satisfying. The atmosphere was vibrant and welcoming, and the staff were friendly and attentive. My pineapple Agua Fresca was perfect for today's 95° plus heat. I also love that the Agua Fresca changes daily.

The tacos, bland and cold, the corn, over cooked, the guacamole and chips were great, but everything else, not the best. Costumer service was amazing as well the atmosphere. The food, for me, defines the restaurant the most so I'll give it 3 stars.

My wife and I are regulars at Mama Lu's and are NEVER disappointed in the food. We always start with their nummy queso dip (sans cilantro, per the wifey) and move on to the best tacos in Northern Michigan. They allow for mixing and matching, which allows us to change our combinations every time we visit. We never pass on the pescado (fish) tacos - lightly fried, great accoutrements. We then start our personal mixing...full disclosure we've never had the vege taco but I bet is superb. A key part of the dining experience are their fantastic margaritas. My fav is the mango! And, they have them in cans so you can take one (or two) home with you. Lastly, the vibe is great and the staff is wonderful. Don't miss out eating at the bar where the bartenders are all friendly and engaging. All-in-all, Mama Lu's is one of our favorites in Traverse City.

The shrimp taco was my favorite! The beef was a bit salty though. The street corn was also really good. Service was quick! A nice casual place to go with friends.

Love the vibe very funky and authentic. Is it just me or are the tacos weird? I really don't understand the flavor profiles. Shrimp is the worst with those tiny canned shrimp ugh. Tacos always served cold. Guac and chips good. Salsas not good need a normal red tomato salsa! Frustrating to come here and have such bad food as I love the place! I keep trying hoping they'll get a better chef/recipes

Cute taco place on front street in TC. The server was super friendly and helped us pick what we got for our meals. He recommended the pork carnitas taco and the shrimp taco. They both were unique and had a nice kick and flavor. My husband had the salad with caritas and liked his a lot as well. Fun spot at mid range prices. Worth checking out.

We were excited to try Mama Lu's because of the street corn (huge street corn fans). The menu sounded good and everything is priced pretty decently, but we were a lil disappointed with the experience. The restaurant was PACKED and we were cramped by the kitchen (we made the mistake of saying we were okay sitting there lol) our waiter couldn't hear us at all. We had to repeat everything a few times. First things first the street corn was over cooked and COATED with topping, you could barely taste the corn. Chips and salsa were good, I wish they gave you bigger bowls so it's easier to dip in. NOW the pollo tacos.... Tastes like nothing and too much at the same time, the chicken was dry and unseasoned, and was given undercooked chicken. When brought up to the waiter he told us that's just what chicken thighs look like when cooked, one quick google search proves that wrong. On top of that we heard a different waiter that night tell the kitchen they undercooked chicken. As someone who works in food service I find this very concerning!

Nice little place on Front Street. We were seated promptly and the staff was friendly. $4 for chips and salsa, chips were okay the salsa was odd. The red salsa was brown and had a wired consistency. The green salsa was not that good. Order queso as well, it was much better than the salsa. Order a steak and a chicken taco. The steak taco was by far better. The chicken taco seemed like thigh meat and lacked flavor. Over priced and not that great of an experience.

Excellent! A must try. Margaritas classic and coconut were sneaky good. Tacos were outstanding. Churros are as good as you can get in Michigan. Service was spot on and they were busy.

So much potential, but unfortunately my group left disappointed. The service needs some work and the food was hit or miss. We started right away by ordering margaritas and chips & salsa. The drinks came out in a reasonable amount of time and were delicious! From there we placed our entree orders, which included 2 tacos each, and the street corn. For some reason the street corn came out almost instantly, when it was expected as a side dish to the tacos. Sadly, the corn wasn't great. It was pretty dry and missing the mayo and lime flavor. Unfortunately, the server forgot to bring out the chips until asked much later. Eventually we asked for the chips, which the server admitted to forgetting, then the tacos came out a minute or two later. The tacos were delicious! I got a second marg, which wasn't as cute as the first, and definitely missing some tajin, but it was still good. I'd be willing to try this place again in hopes of a better experience. But for the prices, it should be excellent every time.

This place came with high expectations as my daughter's coworker actually had them cater her WEDDING!!!!. We walked in to almost every table taken on a taco tues lunch. We sat at the bar and met Keegan. What a delight!!. Attentive but not intrusive or oppressive. We took advantage of the taco tues specials. The food was so delicious, I understand why a friend did that!! Margaritas on tap. Delicious food. Welcoming environment. What more could you ask for?!?! This is definitely a must hit place when visiting Traverse City

This is definitely an urban type taco experience. I was looking for something with a bit more authentic flavors, these were all very unique. Out of my husband and I we tried one of each. The shrimp and the carnitas were the ones we enjoyed. I did not care for the others. I also ordered the guacamole as all the reviews rave about it. It was fresh, however very heavy on the lime and salty, which we found most of our food to be. I love well salted food, and this was all a bit much for me. We also ordered the nachos and beans and rice. My kids, nor my husband or I cared for either. The service was great, the space is tight but well decorated and clean. I did find it interesting that they are located in a wine region and there were only 3 options for wine; a red, white, and rose. They had tequila, and the waitress said about one option for any different liquor apart from that. Overall, I was anticipating a more authentic taste, so I left a bit underwhelmed, but if you are looking for g for original fresh food, this is good.

Great little Mexican restaurant right downtown. The tacos are great and the margaritas are even better!!

Quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Traverse City. It's small and can get busy but if you get a table, you're in for a treat! The staff are friendly and provide great service too. All of their margaritas are very good. The speciality ones are different and so flavorful/fresh/delicious. I love the coconut one. Highly recommend the street corn as an appetizer. You can't go wrong with any of their tacos. The short rib and vegetal were our favorites last night. If you have space, the churros are made to order and a delicious way to end your meal.

The food was really good! The carnitas taco was the best one I had. Service was average and it is a smaller space so if you sit inside, you will be pretty close to the other tables. Would go back for the tacos!

The coconut margarita was beyond delicious! Really done well! Not authentic, but I don't think that is what they're going for. All tacos were great! I think the vegetal was probably my favorite! Service was amazing!

Best fish taco I have in my life. the rest of the food was amazing but the fish taco takes the cake.

I got a fabulous salad with a crisp beer and delicious nachos with guacamole and cheese.

This place is terrific. Have yet to go there and not be completely happy with everything that we have gotten. Just wish it was bigger sometimes it's a long wait. The staff has always been super friendly and the ambience can't be beat.

This is the best taco place I've ever been to. Order literally anything on the menu. I had the mango margarita and the habenero cucumber margarita. Excellent drinks

If your from the SW USA do not order the guacamole. It's like biting into a lime. No avacado taste - zero - the only reason you know it's there is it's green. Charlotte - I see you respond to comments. Please have someone try this recipe: 2 avocados, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 salt optional,1-2 Roma tomatoes seeded, 2-4 Tablespoons cilantro - fresh is best. When you're done you taste guacamole and a bit of the other flavors. The cilantro really makes it - when it's fresh you don't need much - a bit more of its dry. This is how it should taste. If you don't change your receipt you should put on the menu lime guac or have the waiter explain. Not happy to pay $10.00 for that. And no, "it's how we do it up here" - that isn't guac anywhere. If customers don't know any better they haven't had it made correctly!! I had the carnitas taco which was good. Decent amount of meat but a bit skimpy of other filling. Also in the SW you don't usually find corn in tacos. But some do. I do want to give a shout out to Logan. He was working his ass off. The place was full and he did everything from cleaning the table, bringing menu and water, to my meal, then handling the bill. Every table was full and he was handling them all. There was a guy behind the bar who did pop out occasionally. Before I left I started seeing another young man bring out dishes. So you have a great employee in Logan. He was nice too. I liked the atmosphere it's a tiny place with bar on one side and about 10 tables on the other.

This is place is overrated. The tacos and the sauces are bland. Even the habanero salsa is bland. The chips were advertised as hot on the menu but came out cold. The only taco (and we tried them all) worthwhile was the fish taco. Service was excellent but could not make up for the food.

Note: my star ratings are based on the type of establishment and price point. Small, tight place, which is the only downside. Excellent margaritas. Get the house - no need to spend more. If you can, sit at the bar. Jaden the bartender is friendly and a great server. Chips are light and salty and perfect. They serve two salsas, and both were different and very good. Would have been good to have a spicier option, but still both interesting. Tacos were also excellent. Carnitas was packed with meat and seasoned so it was very flavorful. Fish had a spicy Mayo that was good. Breading could have ben crispier but still good. Short rib was flavorful and had some pickled jalapeños among other flavors and was great. Service, value, food - all good. Ambiance - tight. But worth the trip if you can get in. Suggest the table for two in the window. ;-)

Amazing tacos. Some of my favorite in TC. All the different types of tacos are great. Just depends on what you're in the mood for. Highly recommend dining in and having their margaritas as well. We've always had great service and amazing experiences here. It has a great vibe and usually some great music.

Our server was v pleasant. My husband ordered 2 sweet potato tacos, 1 shrimp. He got 2 shrimp tacos and 1 sweet potato. Not that big of a deal. The chips were crazy salty. The rice was a bit under cooked. I wouldn't go back.

Good food, not too expensive. A bit spicy for my liking, but not overly spicy. Good for sharing. Cute place, great location.

Great "modern" taco place. Tacos are street style small, but very tasty. We especially enjoyed the short rib and fish tacos. On Tuesdays they have homemade chicharron for $2- great with the sauce it's served with or dip in queso for next level delicious! We love downtown TC, so the location is great. Ambiance and service were good as well. And churros!

We saw the positive reviews so we figured we would try it... but this place missed the mark for us. Pros: attentive and friendly staff Rice and beans were unique and had good flavor Cons: Guacamole had way too much lime and only onion as the garnish? Good guacamole has cilantro and tomatoes as well. Skip the guacamole! (See pic of the sad guacamole below) we gave it a fair shot and we tried to like it ...but no, it was awful. We had the coconut and mango margaritas, they looked good but were very sweet. Both the pork and steak tacos were "okay" the ingredients were fine but nothing special. The owners of mama Lu's have the right idea for a taco place but the ingredients and execution need a bit of work.

Cute spot in downtown Traverse City. Came here for lunch during the week, it was really busy. Our waiter Keegan was great, super friendly and attentive. The food was more gourmet Mexican, the salsa was amazing. You can tell a good Mexican restaurant by the salsa and they had a green spicy vinegar like salsa and a creamy red tangy salsa. Both very good. - Al pastor taco (5/5): very flavorful, unique toppings - Steak taco (4/5): delicious, could use a bit of salsa - Shrimp taco (5/5): so good, lots of flavors, creamy sauce Overall loved the atmosphere and service. Would definitely recommend!

Great energy and great food. Although I was surprised a bit by the flavors (I should have known since they tout 'Modern Day Mexican'), the surprise ended up being quite pleasant. Wait staff on the night I was there was made up of the coolest guys in Traverse City, but rather than pretentious they were genuinely welcoming and kind. Mama Lu's is a gem!

They had great service, good food, and tried to make the most out of the space they have. It is very crammed inside and the prices are a bit higher than what I'm used to - probably due to location. ($4.25 tacos vs $3 at Maiz for example.) I'd try to go back again if there wasn't a wait time, but with the amount of space they have to work with and me still a bit uneasy with being super close to folks sitting basically shoulder to shoulder it probably would be much later on. I've included a few photos. We had so much food (shown) that we had several things sitting on the floor because there wasn't enough space for everything on the table. There was a lot of plate Tetris going on to get the pics and some pics you can see the plates are kind of hanging off the edge of the table.

Holy Salt Batman!!!! Service was great, but the food was so salty we had to leave without eating our dinner. We had the nachos and cheese dip. Both, so salty, we had to leave them on our plate and swallow our pride while we paid for this disaster. Drinks were very good and the atmosphere fine, but I could never eat here again.

We were going to compromise and grab some Mexican. No middle eastern food options in these parts and the only Indian is at the Traverse mall food court, that's not going to happen. Hubby is tired of salmon salad too, that was just last night. The wait after 6pm was over 2 hours. 50% capacity so few and it's a small place too. Have to try back on a quieter night. :(