Midtown's Cantina Alley

🌮🌮 Taco Tuesday 🌮🌮 they have happy hour!!! $2 tacos and $5 margaritas! The street tacos are ok, not super flavorful but for $2, let’s goooo! We spent $22 for 6 tacos a coke and an agua fresca! They also have crunch potato tacos and those are pretty good Their aguas frescas are delicious! Pineapple is my favorite 😋 Staff is always friendly and fast! Weekdays are the best, super chill and easy to find parking

My fiance and I were in town for the week and had to make the journey out here! Somehow we made it to happy hour and let me tell you...10/10 worth it! We had the taco flight, guac, elote corn, and their flavored margaritas! All amazing 😍 plus happy hour deals made it even better!

When I visit my boyfriend it's only natural I get a bit homesick, I'm from Mexico city and I have to say their Tinga Quesadillas are exactly like the ones I have at home! Michelada 10/10 and torta de pastor reminded me so much as the one I have at "El Moro" here in CDMX. Thank you so much for the great experience and I'm so happy I found this place!!

I honestly wouldn't have known this place existed without social media. I've heard a lot of good things and seen some awesome pictures/videos of the food and drinks they provide. When you're driving by, it's easy to miss. The restaurant is placed in an alleyway, and parking can be difficult to find. There's a photo op out front with the colorful Midtown sign. Restrooms are right at the front, but it's awkward to stand there and wait. There's also a bar if you don't want to sit and order. My friend and I came here for National Margarita Day during happy hour, so it was quite busy. Despite that, the wait was only about 10 minutes. I like that they ask for your phone number to receive a text when your table is ready, so you're not standing there in front of everyone. While we were waiting, we sat on one of the benches located on the outside of the restaurant. Once our table was ready, we were seated at a tiny wooden table for 2. All of the tables were seated a little too close to each other, in my opinion. Everyone was very loud and chatty, but the music was great. It took a really long time to receive our drinks, but the food came out quickly. My friend ordered 2 tacos and absolutely loved them. We also ordered the Margarita Tree, which is a tower of 4 of their most popular margaritas. The drinks were good, but not very strong. I hardly tasted the Patron in any of them. The portion was nice, but the price for the tree was pretty steep. Overall, I think the place is worth visiting, but I hope we can get our money's worth with stronger drinks the next time we visit. I'd love to personally try out some of their food and Veladora Flights.

EDIT: Returned for a caguama ($11). Tried the tostadas al pastor and quesadilla de carne asada. Tostada was nice even though the pastor tasted more chipotle than tomato. Quesadilla was floppy and greasy on a flour tortilla. Meat tasted good though. My beer glass rim had a bitter chemical flavor (I dont think it was rinsed properly--this was very unpleasant) but I got a new glass and then it was fine. I love the atmosphere, so I keep coming back. Feels like a real cantina. Very good drinks!!! I will be back for happy hour! Nice margarita and nice paloma, exactly as expected. I am looking for tacos in Sacramento and some of these are okay but others are not. I would maybe get the taco dorado de papa and chorizo again. The chicharrones were good and crunchy. The fish taco is too much cream and the fish wasn't crispy enough for me, but I also prefer capeado. The pastor was fatty and didn't have the nice flavor I wanted. Music and ambience were definitely nice and so was the staff. I will go back and try different things from the menu next time.

We had some really good drinks and they had plenty of alcohol in them… the food was very tasty, we tried just about everything from the soup, fish tacos, and the sampler of the tacos. The service was excellent…the atmosphere was chill with great music and all kinds of Mexican artwork. I’ll be back.

Love this place! This is a very lively high energy Mexican restaurant right in midtown near a ton of other bars and restaurants. Cantina Alley is so fun to go to either by yourself, on a date, or with friends. The food is good, some items better than others, the drinks are tasty, and the atmosphere is great if you want to be around other people. I’ve been here on various days of the week and different times. If you plan to come for dinner especially during happy hours and on weekends be prepared to possibly wait 30-45 minutes. Recently came with a group of three and we were sat right away which was a pleasant surprise! My favorite menu items are the Baja fish taco, michelada puerca with Modelo Negra, and the agua de piña. The tacos de papá are a little bland in my opinion. I haven’t tried a ton of the menu yet but definitely will! My friends have tried other items like the Al pastor and chorizo tacos and really liked them. Definitely recommend coming here at least once to try the food and enjoy the energy!

Best Mexican food I have ate in Sacramento. Born and raised in Los Angeles and the food is hard to beat down there. This place definitely does stand its ground.

Always a great vibe here! Really does feel like the backyard in Mexico. Service here is always great despite the large crowds. I love the chicken tinga empanadas here. They are crisp on the outside. The chicken inside is meaty and flavorful. Must try. Also the papas tacos (potatoes) are another favorite of my fiancé and I. The asada they use for the tacos is of high quality. Great char on the meat and cooked to perfection. Went with a party of about 7 here after an event at Golden 1 Center and had an absolute blast. They loved the ambience and food. We all are still talking about it in the group chat and can't wait to return.

Went here for a dinner with family. Pros: it's a cute outside restaurant with plenty seating. The seating area is cutely arranged with a bar. I loved the prickly pear drink I got. They offer a lot of drinks with mezcal! I also enjoyed the Al pastor quesadilla appetizer! It was supposed to be two quesadillas on corn tortillas (house made). But it seemed like four, it was a good portion size. I also enjoyed the elote cup. I forgot my to go order when I left and the server ran out to find me as I walked away! Super sweet of her to do. Cons: the service was a bit slow. They didn't seem too busy with about 4-5 tables of customers. I ordered some tres leches to go and honestly it was just white cake with frosting. Not moist at all which is not what I expected.

this is a tough one but it's gotta be done lol let's ignore the bar with no barstools and try to break down why it took 30 minutes for somebody to come clean the bar area tables. You're probably imagining it was busy but naaaaaaaaa lol I walked right in to the bar area and sat down. There was one other lady at another table behind me for about 10 minutes then her table sat empty until I left maybe an hour later. Nobody came and wiped that table either smh. Now none of that would be my concern except that i didn't wanna go to the bar and order a drink and bring it back to a dirty table. That's crazy. One bigger group came in and ordered some drinks for a minute and they disappeared to the back. So let's just say the bartender was busy. I'll give him busy. He wasn't the problem. But looking towards the front, I could see servers standing there chillin damn near the whole time. Didn't even turn the head my way lol now I get that a restaurant has sections.I've dated servers before. I also know the bar is its own thing. But y'all, so is teamwork lol the way they couldn't rotate they heads to the bar area to even glance at what wasn't happening feels dedicated. Idk. I also know it's not the primary job of the servers to clean tables. I know bussers exist. But I know that because I've been to other restaurants before. Not because I saw them at cantina alley lol. So anyway, that part of the story ended 30 minutes later when a new dude I never seen before came and went and came and went and came out the back again. So I ordered a couple Sandia margaritas and 2 street tacos. It all came pretty quick. Bartender apologized for them missing me and made amends. Margaritas were good. Before that tho I asked the server if they had habanero salsa and brother.... Brother....the way she looked at me like I said some shit in Martian lol I had to look around real quick to check where I was at. Then she dipped off lol I had to go double check with the bartender and he told me they don't. I think that was enough for me. I had to go. I ate real fast. Bussed my table for em and dipped. Gladly my homeboy was on the phone with me to distract me but damn. They also had the Steelers game on the tv from the night before when shohei ohtani was playing the best baseball game anybody has ever played live. Something's wrong bro. I want this place to be good. Maybe they need those same little motivational pictures they have on office walls that say shit like "teamwork" "cooperation" lol good luck y'all.

I had a great time at cantina alley. I had the ceviche and it was so good. It came with ketchup which I was reluctant about; however, it is actually so good. The shrimp is fresh and delicious. The sangria was so wonderful. The service was fast and the server was kind. The ambiance is very cantina like. It lives up to its name. Definitely recommend for some delicious eats.

It's always been a great experience here. The staff are always friendly and accommodating. We went for drinks and snacks. We loved their sangria and keep coming back for their pork rinds with guacamole.

Super friendly and prompt service. Came at a good time for a table. Seated 3 people and 2 dogs immediately. Multiple offers of water for us AND our dogs. Our order was taken promptly as well. Then the waiting began. It took a long time for anything to come. I thought the flight would come quickly. Nope. The flight AND the food came at the same time. Having everything at once proved to be undesirable. Eat the food before it gets cold? Drink the margaritas before the ice melts? All at once instead of spread out over an hour-ish. The Taco del Monte mushroom tacos were very good. Flavorful, spicy, juicy, and vegan. The crispy potato tacos were small, bland and vegan. The salsa verde on top saved them from a total meh. Lastly we tried the elote vegano. We were informed it only came in a cup. It was watery. Under cooked. Had a wobbly odd puddle of sauce on the top that didn't taste too bad, but wasn't great. Had the corn been more cooked or even hot it might have been better. Came FOR the margarita flight. Was so excited to try it. The pineapple/mango margarita was sickly sweet. I sipped it first and blew out my taste buds when I moved on to the cucumber margarita. I had to clean my palate to even taste it. Once the sweetness subsided the cucumber margarita was tasty and well balanced. Moved on to the hibiscus margarita and it might have been my favorite. It also was well balanced. The watermelon margarita again too sweet to really enjoy. I saw another table mixing margaritas and thought what a great idea. We mixed the pineapple/mango with the cucumber and the hibiscus with the watermelon. That made all the margaritas enjoyable. My daughter and I were a little afraid of the repercussions of drinking 4 full sized margaritas. We had a designated driver so no problem there. We decided to walk around and see what was going on with the rest of the block. What we noticed was we were not impaired. Not at all. I didn't even feel buzzed. That made us wonder how much tequila was in those margaritas? I didn't need to be drunk. I'm not a drinker, so a single drink is usually my limit. We're thinking not much tequila was in them. Still had our driver take us home. Where we watched a movie and still waited for the alcohol to hit. Nope. Nothing. It is definitely down an alley where one wonders is there something down here? Walk to the cantina and it's cute and full of people. They've made an effort to make it handicap accessible.

The first time I came here, I was upset that a Mexican restaurant 1) did not have complimentary tortilla chips and 2) chips are not even on the menu! This is my biggest gripe with Cantina Alley. But lack of chips aside (they do have hand-made chicharones with guac that you can purchase as an alternative to chips, which I have yet to try), I keep coming back for the tacos. My go-to order is the Tacolgando, 4 taco flight for $14. You get one of each best seller: Al Pastor, Carne Asada, Chorizo, and my favorite - Papas (potatoes)! Service has always been good. I've come on dates and with larger groups of friends. The music is always bumping, and it's definitely a cantina vacation vibe every day of the week. Dining is an outdoor set up with shade, so it's best to come when the weather is nice. They have fans but it can get a little hot during the summer.

Went with relatives for the first time. I'd like to emphasize that when you go out to eat to a restaurant you expect there to be adequate, or at least nearby parking, a clean and well organized eating area, if no music, at least a clean environment, and of course and not in the least, an aesthetically healthy atmosphere - throughout. The service was lacking and slow, but it was understandable, as it was a bit crowded. For the most part the food quality is ok. I ordered the recommended shrimp tacos and was highly disappointed. After receiving the tacos I noticed that one of the tacos only had three (3) of micro mini coctail sized shrimps inside with some vegetables, and the other one had exactly five (5) micro mini coctail shrimps inside. Very disappointed! I was eating mostly tortillas with vegetables. As this premium dish comes at a premium price I was completely taken by surprise at the lack of quality/ quantity on shrimp. * I have since noticed that a few other reviewers also mentioned the lack of actual meat in their meat dishes. The other meals that were served to our group were of basic quality and taste. It lends me to believe that this is an establishment. that holds the importance of trendiness rather than the quality of the food. That said, I woul also like to mention that there was no parking available nearby, as the restaurant is actually in an alley, with no available parking , at least nowhere near the establishment - relegated only to street parking, in which the street is hectic and overcrowded. This is definitely a pass, unless you live nearby and want to walk here to meet friends for drinks. *On a side note : Do not sit outside under the umbrellas. It was a rather windy day, and one of the umbrellas actually flew out of the base and almost hit the people sitting at the table next to us.

Really fun place and friendly staff!! The food presentation was good and everything tasted good too! Prices are reasonable and nice deals. Def worth checking out

I went on a Saturday night and it was busy. There were lots of people there to enjoy the bar and even more people enjoying to ambiance and eating the food. My party ordered the pork rinds and guacamole. It was delicious. I never thought to do that pairing. We also ordered elote in a cup. So good without the corn getting stuck in our teeth. We then ordered a margarita flight and multiple taco flights. We finished our meal with churros. We had a great time and enjoyed every bite. I will def be back. Our server was in training and she did a fantastic job catering to our needs. Parking is tough downtown but there was an affordable lot across the way.

Great spot! Food was tasty , service was solid, and the vibe was fun. They gave us complimentary chicharrones. Just missed that fifth star due to the fountain water tasting weird. Would definitely come back! Tinga empanadas 10/10!! perfect portion for quick linch break! Agua fresca pepino 9/10!!

Great service. We just came in for a margarita and it didn't disappoint We will be returning for the food next time

Love this place! This is a very lively high energy Mexican restaurant right in midtown near a ton of other bars and restaurants. Cantina Alley is so fun to go to either by yourself, on a date, or with friends. The food is good, some items better than others, the drinks are tasty, and the atmosphere is great if you want to be around other people. I've been here on various days of the week and different times. If you plan to come for dinner especially during happy hours and on weekends be prepared to possibly wait 30-45 minutes. Recently came with a group of three and we were sat right away which was a pleasant surprise! My favorite menu items are the Baja fish taco, michelada puerca with Modelo Negra, and the agua de piña. The tacos de papá are a little bland in my opinion. I haven't tried a ton of the menu yet but definitely will! My friends have tried other items like the Al pastor and chorizo tacos and really liked them. Definitely recommend coming here at least once to try the food and enjoy the energy!

Service was super friendly and quick here from the security to the host to the server. Everyone was awesome. We ordered Perro caliente (a dirty dog) This was pretty tasty and was definitely a level up from the street dogs you get at the carts It had red onion and mango Still tasty just different 3 asada tacos There were lots of white onion which I love but it added to the green salsa and made it pretty spicy towards the end. Would definitely order these again! Maybe with a side of crema lol Watermelon margaritas These were TASTY it seemed like they juiced fresh watermelon and it had pieces of the pulp at the bottom so every sip was fresh. It comes garnished with a pineapple that was dipped in tajin and with a tajin rim on the glass. Will 100% be ordering this drink again!

Such a good experience here at cantina alley! Entrance is in the back alley( in that name ) and is an outside restaurant. We went on a warm day and it felt nice back there with the fans on. We ordered their Mojitos with guava and the taste was so good! As well as the Torta and Tacoglando. The Carne Asada was soooo delicious with the pineapple and was both of our favorites. We finished with their Tres leches cheese cake. Izzy was our server and was very helpful with our questions. He was funny too which makes for a good time. Food came out at a good pace one we first arrived as it wasn't so busy but once it got busier orders took longer to come out for sure. I'd come back at another slow time(:

I honestly wouldn't have known this place existed without social media. I've heard a lot of good things and seen awesome pictures and videos of the food and drinks they provide. When you're driving by, it's easy to miss. The restaurant is placed in an alleyway and parking can be difficult to find. There's a photo op out front with the colorful Midtown sign. Restrooms are right at the front, but it's awkward to stand there and wait. There's also a bar if you don't want to sit and order. My friend and I came here for National Margarita Day during happy hour, so it was quite busy. Despite that, the wait was only about 10 minutes. I like that they give you the option to receive a text when your table is ready, so you're not standing there in front of everyone. While we were waiting, we sat on one of the benches located on the outside of the restaurant. Once our table was ready, we were seated at a tiny wooden table for 2. All the tables were seated way too close to each other, in my opinion. Everyone was very loud and chatty, but the music was great. It took a very long time to receive our drinks, but the food came out quickly. My friend ordered 2 tacos and absolutely loved them. We also ordered the Margarita Tree, which is a tower of 4 of their most popular margaritas. The drinks were good, but not very strong. I hardly tasted the Patron in any of them. The portion was nice, but the price for the tree was pretty steep. Overall, I think the place is worth visiting, but I hope we can get our money's worth with stronger drinks next time we visit. I'd love to personally try out some of their food.

Went for dinner on a Saturday with two friends. There was a short wait, but not very long (5 minutes or so) for a table. The restaurant is a little bit loud but the ambiance is welcoming and comfortable. I got three al pastor tacos and an horchata. The horchata was delicious and you could tell by the texture that it was homemade. The tacos were also very good, although I would encourage others to avoid wearing light colors as they load the tacos up a lot here! There is no way to eat them gracefully.

Cantina Alley is just like its name, in an ally. From the outside it's kind of hidden, but once you go inside it's super cute, lively, and welcoming, with a very friendly staff. We came here for a girls' night on a Saturday. Even though it was pretty busy, we were seated right away. We shared a few dishes, and everything we tried was tasty. We ordered the Elote in a Cup, the Guacamole & Chicharrones, and the Tacolgando--a flight of four tacos (Papa, Al Pastor, Carne Asada, and Chorizo). The Al Pastor taco was the standout for me. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. We came here to check out the drinks and ordered the Veladora margarita flight. It included hibiscus, watermelon, cucumber, and pineapple margaritaz. The hibiscus margarita was my favorite--balanced and refreshing. The watermelon margarita was also delicious, while the pineapple was a little too thick and sweet, and the cucumber leaned more on the bitter side. My only disappointment was that after trying all four, I didn't even feel buzzed (and I'm not usually much of a drinker--one margarita is usually plenty for me). It made me wonder how much tequila they are using. For dessert, we had the churros. They came out warm with caramel dipping sauce, but unfortunately they were on the hard side instead of soft and fluffy, which was a letdown. Service was good, attentive, courteous, and prompt. We had multiple refills of water without asking, and our order was taken quickly. Despite the crowd, everything moved smoothly. The atmosphere is lively, high-energy, and perfect if you want to be surrounded by people. Music plays in the background, and seating is outdoors, adding to the fun vibe. There's also a parking lot right across the street with all-day parking for $7, and plenty of other bars and restaurants nearby, including Rick's Dessert Diner just down the street. Overall, Cantina Alley is a fun midtown spot with good food, tasty drinks, and a great atmosphere. Definitely worth visiting at least once for the energy and experience!

We stopped by around 2 PM on a Sunday and quickly discovered it's the perfect time to come, no wait for a table! We ordered a few tacos, the guacamole with chicharrones, and the street corn. Everything was super flavorful and delicious. Our server was kind and thoughtful, and while it seemed like the team was just coming down from a busy rush (a few of our requests were missed), she kindly brought us complimentary churros, which was such a nice touch. Even though it wasn't too busy, the food took a little longer than expected, but we weren't in any rush and enjoyed the vibe. Next time, I'll definitely be trying one of the fun drinks on the menu!

Went in a Friday around 7 and the service seemed to be the only one working. He did his best to check on us throughout our time there but it seems like the poor guy was stretched thin. He did a great job serving us but it seemed like they were short staffed. The food was very bland, we ordered multiple dishes and almost every single last one needed more seasoning. The vibes were cool though

The drinks are the top thing here. I recommend the flights we got, very delicious. The service was good, they are an extremely busy spot but I can see why. Good spot to chill with friends especially during summer time! Will be coming back

Cute covered outdoor spot. We came around 5:30 on a Saturday and had only a 10 minute wait and we ordered drinks at the bar while waiting. It's very vibey with loud music. We both got the taco flight and I loved each taco. I wish they had chips to go with the guacamole instead of pork rinds

Sunday afternoon had about a 20 minute wait for four people which was fine. Got some margaritas at the bar, (watermelon margarita was ) then got seated. Elote to start and then Al pastor and Verne asada tacos. Super well priced and the food was fire.

This place was a little off to me. They put us on a wait list (expected) but we're allowed to go to the bar. The bar was packed (again expected) but then we got told we can't stand here can't stand there...so why let us in if you don't have room? Then we see about 5 four tops open and no one is being seated... for about 15 mins... then 2 groups get sat down...okay cool...idk if the seating system is just not working but it wasn't it. We finally get sat down and our server took 10-15 mins to even come to our table. He proceeded to ask if we want drinks we ordered drinks, he never asked for our IDs then jokingly asks if we are old enough, then asked if I'm a cop? Umm what? I think he was trying to be funny but it was a very odd encounter lol and then after we ate he told us he was off and invited us to a bar up the street...no thanks sir Food was okay I would go back to try more but maybe not on a Friday. We travelled from out of town and this was recommended and it was just okay. Tables are small we ordered tacos but they came on these weird wood things that take up way too much room on these small tables.

Bet place to have fins with friends. To get good food and obviously good drinks. People there are friendly. The ambience is amazing, the music, the decoration, everything involves you and invites you to enjoy the moment.

This was our first visit on a Sunday for lunch with the weather showing it was 102. I include that because this was an outdoor restaurant. Once inside, you would not have known it was that hot. They keep the patio cooled with fans and misters. It was very comfortable. We ordered a Chicken Torta, Chicken Taquitos and Elote on the cob. They also offer in a cup too. Everything was delicious and full of flavor. The meat was marinated to perfection. The service was good we got seated right away and our waiter was attentive. Overall we enjoyed our experience and the food. We will definitely be back.

This is a hidden spot that was recently recommended to us. It is in an alley. But it is covered with lots of seating. The decor is very latinx, lots of colors and great music. The drinks were really good. We tried the mezcal margarita and prickly pear margarita. Both very delicious, but the mezcal one was my favorite. We did not try the food. We heard from friends it's not that good. Tequila and beer are their main or only alcohol options, no vodka, etc. I came with my husband on a date night, I would recommend not bringing your kids. We went in the evening at about 6 pm, it was loud, and we were glad we didn't bring our 1 year old. The service was good. We were tended to quickly and the bartender often checked in. They're want a lot of people on a Thursday evening, so it was a good time, overall.

Good spot for drinks and that's about it. The Al pastor tacos were more fat gristle than actual meat and they were topped with diced canned pineapple. Canned really? It's too sweet and takes away from any flavor. The asada was burnt to a crisp and had zero flavoring. Straight from the fridge to grill with no seasoning. Pork rinds are good with the guacamole. The tortillas that the tacos come on are fresh. Again I would just stop in for a cold one if I ever am in the area again.

I really enjoy the outdoor seating on a summer night here. The pina agua Fresca was delicious, and so was the taco flight. Great place to come with friends and share some food!

Great ambiance for happy hour drinks and great service! We came to get a margarita and come to find out....it was happy hour! Although there's not too many options on the happy hour menu, each thing is quality. We didn't order food from happy hour but was not disappointed with the quality that the food was.

Food was amazing. Really good tacos. It was worth the wait. This place was vibe. It is down the alley.

Ok, I will admit.....places like these are a dime a dozen. Trendy "authentic" Mexican cuisine, drinks, music, and a happy ambiance of people having a good weekend night out. The majority of these are "meh," but I genuinely had a good meal. My "party" thoroughly enjoyed their tacos, as they got the taco "hanging from a piece of wood" type contraption (I didn't follow up on what it is called). My wife and I each got a fish taco.....surprisingly crispy, even with the cabbage and crema covering it. Bravo (not sarcastic). Fish tacos are usually drenched and are just hard to eat. I would recommend the fish taco....so, from me....FISH TACO! (I have an onion allergy, so I can't enjoy the "authentic street tacos" that all of these Mexican restaurants claim to have). I had a Carne Asada quesadilla, which, without the salsa added to it (again, onions!), the cheese was melty, the meat was not dry, and I would order it again. My party enjoyed their alcoholic drinks....I enjoyed my Mexican coke. Our server was very personable, and our drinks were refilled and napkins constantly replenished. This type of restaurant is typically not my "scene" (can't eat onions, hate "Trendy authentic" Mexican cuisine type restaurants, don't drink tequilla, etc), but this is a place that I think most people will genuinely have a good meal

This place is an unfortunate no. Yes, the appearance is a vibe, but the rest remains just that, an appearance. It all falls short. My partner and I went yesterday and were seated immediately. Unfortunately, the hostess sat us at a table front and center that had not been assigned to anyone. We saw server after server pass us right on by, some even glancing over. Fifteen minutes passed, and nothing. We started seeing other people arrive well after us get seated and served, and still no one came to us. Eventually, I asked three different servers what the deal was, and they all said they would go check. Needless to say, only one returned informing us that we were sat at a table without a server. No kidding! There was no apology from anyone, including what appeared to be the manager who had eventually been consulted. The man who eventually helped us was like, well, at least I'm here now. He eventually seemed to feel bad for us and offered some pork skins. So, yeah, no. Customer service sucks! About the drinks and food. No, and no. They messed up my drink, and the two tacos (we didn't even want to order anything after such a disappointing situation) took forever and left far more to be desired. Talk about a terrible experience. It's sad because it's a cute place, but it's a no. We will never return, and I do not recommend them. There are way better places than this. They need to up their game, seriously.

This is one of those places in Sacramento that I feel like every single human being has been to except myself. I went for the first time recently for a friend's birthday. We had a larger group, so we managed to arrive a little earlier, but still had a bit of a wait for a table. While we waited, we enjoyed some of their delicious margaritas from their bar. I thoroughly enjoyed the watermelon margarita that I tried. Once we were finally seated, we dove into ordering some of their food. I decided to try their taco flight, which allowed me to try four of their most popular street tacos. The presentation of the taco flight was super cool and the tacos themselves were quite tasty. My biggest qualm would be the extremely slow service - it took quite a while to get our waitresses' attention and even longer to get refills on water or more beverages from the bar. It was a Saturday night, we were a large party, and the place was crowded so I am willing to overlook that. But all in all, we ended up spending almost 3 hours there for a friend's birthday dinner... All in all, it's a fun spot with a good bar and the food is decent.

Came here last Saturday on one of the hottest days of the year so far and had an incredible experience. Me and my friend were seated quickly and greeted by our waitress. She was extremely friendly and helpful when it came to drink and food recommendations. Food and drinks were amazing and would definitely come back again.

Everything was great! The food and the ambiance was really good, It was a fun setting. Service was quick

Literally the best torta I've had in a while. I ended up getting the Carne Asada torta, and it was fire.

Mexican comfort / street food and drinks with the ambience and vibes of as if you were in a Mexican cantina... but you're in Sacramento, California! Food: Taquitos (only available with chicken) - 5/5 - a popular favorite because of the toppings and the presentation Carne en su jugo - 5/5 - savory broth with chunks of meat and beans; of Jalisciense origin ... this dish brings me back to the days living in Guadalajara, Jalisco Tacos - 4.5/5 - love the tacos al pastor (with pineapple) & chorizo were phenomenal; enjoyed them decently more than carne asada nor fish tacos Margarita flights - 5/5 - looks pretty and tastes pretty, since it's not heavy on the tequila Prickly pear - 5/5 - red pitaya Mangonaeada slush - 4/5 - melts fast, quite sweet and you need to throw in the tequila shot yourself or take it as a shot Signature cantina margarita - 5/5 - fantastic; my favorite, a must try! Ambience: Very casual cantina semi-indoors/outdoors style Service: Fast, friendly

Great place food and atmosphere wonderful. I gave a 1 star today because I went in to have lunch and there is a cat wondering around freely. Before I receive negative comments let me be clear. I don't like cats and I have allergies not to mention I want to enjoy a peaceful meal without looking around to make sure the cat was a good distance from me; which, did not happen therefore I left. Not sure if I will ever go back.

On Friday we took a large group of family that came down from LA to show them around sac.. first stop was here & we were highly disappointed as we bought our first round of 7legua shots & these shots were not 7 leguas then we get a second round of a diff tequila (same thing) unfortunately this is not the first time this has happened here but we decided to give them another chance. After trying different tequilas & realizing some of them were not tasting as usual we decided to leave. Never coming back again

The food banging the ambiance magnificent the service is iconic. Would recommend! If I could give it 10 stars I would

Very neat ambiance and like the name suggests in the alley with outdoor seating. Came at night and was lively and breezy. Lots of seating. Food came out quick. My friend got a taco sampler. Didn't take the picture, but the tacos were in paper hung on a mini clothes line with clothes pins. I got 2 tacos; al pastor and Carne asada. The al pastor was pretty good. The pineapples probably weren't fresh. They packed a decent amount of protein in both tacos and the quality of those were good. The asada was alright. It wasn't as flavorful as the al pastor. Saw lots of people get the patron slushy flight. Will have to come back and try those.

This is my second time eating at Cantina Alley and the customer service was top notch! We were greeted by a nice gentlemen who walked us over to the table. Then our server was very sweet, friendly and a noticeably hard worker. She started us off with drinks and shortly after she took our order. It wasn't long till she came back with our food and checked on us twice while eating to make sure the food was ok. She welcomed us to continue conversing and spending time at the table after we paid but we had finished eating and left. I had ordered an Empanada de Tinga that was filled with shredded chicken and melted cheese, topped with crumbled cheese, lettuce and sour cream. 10/10, super delicious! I also order Pozole verde to go but I wasn't a huge fan of because it had chile en vinagre. I was expecting Pozole but without the chiles and carrots in them. 4/10, there was more onions, chiles and carrots but not enough shredded chicken or hominy. Lastly but definitely not least, I ordered tacos de costillas which were so delicious! Never thought about eating short ribs in a street style taco so this was very unique and flavorful! 10/10, amazing. The environment was really loud as it was packed and the music playing made it hard to hear and converse. Can be a potential reason for someone to not want to visit but trust, the food is so good you won't be disappointed or regret visiting! Date visited: 09/15/24

My favorite street food cravings and cocktails in one creative spot! The staff is great and love coming for celebrations or a fun day out. The vibe is all about Mexico and will transport you the moment you step in. With so many unique and delicious options, you will have to order one of everything and share. They have many different events through out the year, so follow them on social channels for all the fun you can't miss!

This place was such a disappointment. Horrible wait times! Food was NOT good! Joke for Mexican food! And the drinks SUCK! ALL HYPE.

Tbh the review should be 3.5 overall but I went ahead and rated 4 because of Chuy aka Jesus service. SERVICE: Our Server: Selma was pretty blah and really didn't provide good service like at all. After dropping off our meal she was nowhere to be found. We did want to put more in for our order before HH ended but cest la vie. Chuy stepped in lighting fast to continuously check in on us, refill our water etc. Not sure if she went on break or what but that was pretty ridiculous not to at least ask if we needed anything before or pass of the table and let us know who to ask for. When she finally returned I asked for a to go box and she brings boxes that wouldn't fit. No check just the tiny box .... She comes back a bit later and I ask for another box. Again she brings the tiny box. Atp I'm asking did we have cash cause I'm not tipping her and only Chuy. I AGAIN ask for a box and say do you have a bigger box? Like common sense should say you can see the food won't fit. None the less Chuy again to the rescue as he came over to ask did we need a bag for the three boxes we had. The service from Selma was pretty bad. Her demeanor was monotone like she didn't want to be there and SHE was being bothered... OUR ORDER: -HH Guacamole con chicharrones 8/10 2 heaping scoops and so many fresh chicharrones. It needed a bit more seasoning and would have been a 10/10 -Taquito shooters: 8/10 all the garnishments added to the flavor but the chicken itself wasn't seasoned well -Baja shrimp taco: 9/10 so good. This was seasoned well and the fish was delectable - chicken empanadas con verde: 9/10 not sure if the chicken was the same as the Taquito shooters but the sauce and flavor was a really good combination -Mangoneda with tequila shot 10/10 alcohol forward also tasty The happy hour wasn't the best and there are definitely better restaurants to explore if you're in midtown. Chuy's service was what saved the review.

Ambiance is energetic and fun, the Baja taco was flavorful with the perfect kick to it! Service was prompt and friendly! Complementary pork chicharones was a cool change-up, but being pescatarian it was a little bit of a bummer since I couldn't eat it. Got the patron margarita tree though.... The picture advertised shows full size patron bottles. But when it got to the table it was mini sized bottles- not worth $55.

Go for the drinks , music . Food is ok .music was good . Good spot for summer drinks the watermelon drinks were good , bartenders are nice

The carne asada torta is OK. They butter the bread and toast it. The only thing is there was a lot of chewy ass pieces to the carne asada that I had to spit out. Tasty though. The michelada was hella good. They top it with their house made chicharones. Bomb! Services was so quick, attentive and friendly. The dope part was it is outdoors and during the summer evening, it's breezy and comfortable. They have a pretty altar space so next time I'll bring an offering. The flip side to being outdoors- hella flies. I spent a lot of my time between chewing and fanning the flies away.