El Molinito Restaurant
2323 N Pantano Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85715
El Molinito Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2323 N Pantano Rd
Tucson, AZ, 85715 - Phone (520) 885-0055
- Website https://www.elmolinitos.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Lorie A.
In a town with so many Mexican restaurants Yelp stars are hard to come by. I think one of this locations biggest plusses is just that...it's location. I think it's the farthest out NE-side place where you can get a combo plate with a side of rice, beans, and the ubiquitous salad of shredded lettuce and orange cheese. I got the Molinito Special (one of them) that had flank steak and chilaquilas on a sizzling iron skillet. I was stoked to get chilaquilas because they are one of my most favorite Mexican dishes. Well, there is a reason why most places only have them on the breakfast menu: they are time sensitive and when left to sit around, turn into a pile of mush in red sauce instead of the tender, al dente texture that makes my heart sing. The steak was fine, though it came out well done when I asked for it medium rare, which in hindsight was a long shot request. Husband got the red chile chimachunga enchilada style because he is a good man and took one for the team when I suggested we do halvesies plate swap. I love a good red chile, but this was pretty much a rearrangement of what was on my plate: steak pieces, average red chile sauce, and soggy tortilla. Rice and beans were there, meaning not bad, not great. Mild salsa was tasty and enjoyed by the kids; the hot salsa tasted good and was nice with the chips once lime was squeezed on and they were salted. Server was patient and professional, getting the kid's quessidilla out early and quickly bringing extras out like more limes and sour cream. I guess for the price and the location, we will try again when the urge for reasonably prices average mexican food strikes. But the next visit better wow us not to add a few miles onto our search for better than average.
(2)Keegan H.
good food, reasonable prices. my favorite is the pollo asado. Been going to el molintio since the early 90's maybe earlier ;)
(4)Gregg G.
My wife and I both love this place. Close to the house, always friendly service, we also have our favorites from the menu. My go-to is the 2 chile con carne enchiladas (green sauce) & side of beans, and my wife mostly chooses the 3 tacos with Carne asada. We normally get a pitcher of beer or margaritas. A nice touch here that I haven't seen elsewhere is that they bring the glasses 1/2 to 3/4 full along with the full pitcher...Nice touch. The key word for this place is value. You get decent food and flavors and attentive service without the unreasonable prices. The Molinito Asada Special could be shared by a couple, it's that big. They did a renovation awhile back which improved the bar area/rear dining room. The outdoor patio is huge and could be used for good sized parties. We have meet friends on the patio for happy hour and it was fun.
(4)Karol B.
Lunch prices are good but when I was there (noon) the salsa hadn't been made yet so they brought canned diced tomatoes and told me the other salsa would be out soon (never came) A picture above my head fell on me (infront of the manager lol) and when they brought my food told me there was no quacamole.....when I asked about that while I was paying an hour later he told me they had it now but he just hadn't been made when I ordered it....HUMMM! I will go back as I regularly eat at the other El Molinitos around town!
(3)Robert R.
Having just come from Seattle where there is no good Mexican food i have to say this place let us down. Waiter was friendly but over an hour wait for very average food..Low prices so i guess you get what you pay for.
(2)Mike L.
Always good, always cheap. They always make strong margaritas. This is always a great go to when you're wanting Mexican food for a good price.
(4)Chimi A.
Myself and my co-workers got a take out lunch here today. I got the L-10 combo plate which includes Shredded beef taco, mini chimis, chile con queso, beans, rice and tortillas. Everything was excellent, but the rice was a little bit undercooked. Also, the front and back doors are not properly marked so if I wasn't with my co-worker who knew where we were going, I would've been very confused. Overall the prices are fantastic, the food is amazing, and I will definitely be going back!
(4)J. L. M.
On the minus: stale chips, small margueritas with way too much mix, deadly fish tacos (dry, cold, tough, old fish on stale small tortillas, no sauce, no cabbage), served with wilted lettuce and lemon slices. Dirty floors, bad or non-existent lighting (no lighting outside of front doors), nasty ladies' room, restaurant smells like old grease and Mr. Clean), irritable hostess. On the plus: good salsa, friendly waiter (we tipped him generously--the horrible food wasn't his fault) Bottom line: wouldn't recommend this restaurant. Reallllllly poor. We were so hungry or we would have just left and eaten elsewhere.
(1)Drew C.
I would go as far to say that this is some of the best Mexican food in town. The actual restaurant is a bit run down, but this "hole in the wall" place serves up amazing food at a great price. Their chimichangas and margaritas are especially tasty.
(5)Linda S.
Food is great, awesome salsa. But won't return due to worst service ever. Took over an hour to get our food. Waiter was new, as early on he brought us another table's food, only yo have a waitress tell him it was her table's order (it wasnt even close to what we'd ordered.) During our wait, waiter did apologize a few times while we waited, but only gave excuse that he also had several large parties. In meantime, small tables like ours (3 of us) were waited on, served, and even long gone. We finally called over the manager to see what the problem was and while he said he'd look into it, he never returned with any reason or an apology. We finally got our food, including 2 soups that easily could have been served prior to the entrees. When got the bill, nothing had been comped. Seems if manager knew, he should have comped something. Or at least returned with an apology. Then again, new guy shouldn't have been given large parties with no one watching over him. Problem not so much waiter but management.
(2)rubylee r.
Servers and host staff need training. Front door and back door need to be marked as such Food was good. We will go back. There was quite a crowd there tonight. The food came out fast.
(3)Susan B.
Terrible!!!! Been here a half dozen times and we quickly learned that the only food worth eating here are the cheese crisps. Tonite the cheese crisp was old. It wasn't hot and some of the cheese was all dried up from the heat lamp. It came too fast (food normally takes forever here) so obviously it was sitting around and not freshly made for us. On previous visits, the cheese crisp was the star of the show. I had to force myself to eat it. Margaritas tasted watered down but in the past were pretty darn good, aka powerful. We aren't returning here anymore after tonite, plus the restaurant is just nasty inside. Kinda sad because there aren't too many east side neighborhood Mexican restaurants around us.
(1)Amber V.
It takes a lot for me to only give a place one star! We ordered 5 meals for take out. One was wrong and one was missing. We called and went back to get the correct food. That in and of itself, while annoying, isn't a big deal. When the food is bad on top of it? I'm not sure how they stay in business. Especially in Tucson with real Mexican food around. I ordered a shredded beef taco that wasn't a taco by the time I got it because they threw it on top of soggy sides. The shell literally had disenegrated. They didn't core the chili relleno and it was very oily. The carne seca was wet and more like machaca instead of being dry like it traditionally is. The tortillas were dry and falling apart - so dry you couldn't make a burrito with them if you wanted to. Out of the 5 meals, not one was redeeming. I've had better at drive thru places!
(1)Phil K.
I love pretty much everything on the menu. Great service, usually very fast. Lunch is the best time to come--a little cheaper and quicker. L4 with beans is my standards order. 3 ground beef tacos with refried beans. Chips and hot salsa are really good.
(4)Candace P.
We ordered catering for a small wedding of 30 people. They showed up over 45 minutes late; the guests were waiting at their table for 30 minutes. We called at the time they were suppose to arrive and offered to go pick it up but they said it was on the way. After waiting awhile we finally headed down to the restaurant to see what was going on. They talked to the driver and again assured us it was almost there so we left and still beat the food to the venue!! If they would have let us know it was going to be late we would have been more than willing to go pick it up. We are so disappointed in their customer service! I'm not sure they even deserve the one star...
(1)Candy P.
Was packed but got a few seats at the bar. Food took a while after we ordered it but graduation parties, it was understandable. Order mini chimis with beans, very good. Also had a margarita which they are known for and it was strong but good. Would come back and recommend this place over any Mexican restaurant in Tucson so far.
(4)Brad B.
El Molinito easily has some of the best Mexican food in Tucson. Their beans are amazing and the service is generally pretty good. My only complaint is the fact that the place seems relatively dirty and the carpet clearly hasn't been updated since they took over the building from a nightclub (we're talking black light disco room carpet!) The good news is the quality of the food makes up for everything else. Definitely would recommend this place as long as you don't mind some funky decor.
(4)Shoujit B.
This place has great food and even better service!!! I've been here on three separate occasions, and have had excellent experiences each time. Don't miss out on the spicy salsa and chips -- it makes for a delicious starter! Our server even brought us extra chips and salsa without us even asking, which was awesome. I highly recommend the carne seca chimichangas - they're really crispy and the meat is quite juicy and flavorful. Also, a TON of food is served (each dish comes with rice, and bowls of guacamole and sour cream), which is great because all the restaurant items are quite affordable. Take it from a Tucson native -- come to El Molinito if you're looking for wholesome and hearty Mexican food!
(5)Carl W.
I do not get this place. Other than the very low prices I can see no reason to go. We go out with a group of friends every week some of whom chose this place so I have been there more times than I like. Watery tasteless beans, bad salsa and even bad chips. Sometimes the dining room is so dirty with food all over the floor. Often we wait for silverware because they do not have enough? To my wife and I the worst Mexican food in a town of great Mexican food. The service has been very spotty as well as we waited 90 minutes for food one night. Cheap food and cheap margaritas but that is exactly what you get.
(2)Peaceful O.
GREAT CATERING! My family just had a catered party from El Molinito and I have to say hands down it was savory, flavorful, fresh and enjoyed by everyone! Delivery man was friendly and efficient. I highly recommend their zucchini/cheese dish! We also had mini chimis, tender, shredded beef, beans, rice and all the fixings for creating tacos. For dessert we enjoyed mini chimis filled with fruit, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Thank you El Molinito --- you are one of our top favorite places in Tucson for Mexican food!
(5)Roger S.
Called to find Yes they had breakfast burritos opens at 10am. Ordered the breakfast burritos and pointed to it as I ordered it. Loved the home made chips and salsa. They brought me another burrito without eggs in it. With some discussion about the meat I found they had brought another plate different than the one I ordered resulting in an additional 8 dollars. I think they do this on purpose. I had taken the menu and pointed out exactly what I ordered before it was brought to the table the second time and they still brought the more expensive plate, and charged for it. I was disappointed and over charged. I understand an honest mistake but this was clearly bait and switch, resulting in another ten dollars in cost. Never again!
(2)Robert M.
The food is mediocre at best. Ordered a combination plate with a tamale, hard shell taco, and an enchilada. The tamale was slightly under cooked in the center, hard taco was something you can find at Taco Bell, and the enchilada, well it was ok. The salsa they offered with the complimentary chips was comparable to canned salsa. However, something we all seek in a restaurant aside from great tasting food is customer service which they do very well. That alone, with the price range would be a place I visit if I don't feel like cooking my own Mexican food, and under a budget.
(2)Spencer A.
I love this place. Always come here when we have out of town visitors. Low prices, good margaritas and great food. Wait staff is awesome, my favorite is a guy named Juan, you can ask to be seated in his section. Fast, consistent, delicious.
(5)Adam F.
About three years ago in my last review, I said that this was a place somewhere between fast food and a full service restaurant. It now definitely leans towards the latter, especially how long it takes for the food to come out during non-busy hours! The portions have remained consistent over the years, so come with a hungry appetite or face the burden of taking home leftovers. This isn't a place that has the best tasty dishes in town, but it does suffice the Mexican food taste buds. Just don't expect the highest quality, especially with the cheese and salsa. When taking the quality and quantity into account, the prices are actually pretty good. On a budget, this is a decent to eat out or get something to go. I have never used their catering or have eaten at a place where they have catered, but the prices and food received seem like its a bargain. Service can use improvement. It isn't bad but it isn't too friendly either. They are slow to bring out the chips, then the drinks, and finally to take the orders. No smiles are basic conversations that happy (or at least tip-deserving) servers would initiate. To me, this is a place to come when thinking about wanting a bunch of food while thinking about my wallet. If you are in the boat or this place is absolutely convenient, think about coming to El Molinito. If you put your expectations at par with average (good, but not great) Mexican food, you'll leave satisfied.
(3)Alyssa H.
Honestly I was just expecting a little quick and easy fast food restaurant, but this place exceed my expectations! Great customer service from right when you walk in til you leave! Rudy was a great guy who definitely helped me and my boyfriend decide what we wanted. Always attentive but give you your space. I got the shredded beef chimichanga with rice on the side and guacamole and it was amazing! All the meat is fresh and juicy! Great prices as well. The carne asada burrito with beans on the side and pico was really tasty. The portions are huge for a wonderful price. I will definitely be back. Thank you for the wonderful service and food.
(5)Chris D.
They have my favorite Carne Seca, it has so much amazing flavor and just the right amount of chew. I love it however it comes, on a plate with rice & bean or in a burro, Chimi or enchilada and if you have left overs it makes an excellent omelette!!
(5)Gayle S.
UGH! Took my mother-in-law there for an early dinner-big mistake! The odor when we walked in smelled like a sewer line had broke in the bathroom. That should have been the first clue to turn around and walk out. Ordered the Blue Corn Tamales-they were practically as small as the palm of my hand. Tucson Tamale Company makes far better Tamales! You won't see me going back to this restaurant.
(1)Ciera L.
Cheap Mexican food. I used to go to El Molinito with my friends back when I was in High School and it was great. The service was always great and speedy. The atmosphere of the restaurant is extremely tacky...it used to be a club and you can definitely tell (look at the crazy carpets) but other than that I love this place. The food is delicious and very cheap! They have delicious endless chips and salsa and you can even purchase more to take home with you!
(5)Rev Dave J.
What a Gem! I began to question my decision to have lunch here when I saw the low prices and paper napkins but we decided to stay. I'm glad we did because when I ordered the beef tamales and my wife ordered the Chili Reyaño. They were the best looking and tasting ones we've had in our nine years of living in Arizona. The Margaritas were great as well. We'll be back the next time we need lunch on the east end of town. (we seldom eat dinner or breakfast in Tucson because of our distance.
(4)Ming-Min L.
let me first temper this review with the fact i haven't eaten here extensively. i was in the neighborhood and i needed some salsa. remembered that this place does take-out and catering so i thought i'd stop in for a pint of the fresh stuff instead of a supermarket. my main motivation for this review is to say HOLY MOLY is this stuff hot! it cost me about $4 and came with chips. i thought it would be "family" level of hot since this is a family-appropriate restaurant, but the stuff creeps up on you! i peeked their menu while i was there and noticed they serve menudo!!! yay! i'd go back again to try that. the dishes i saw seem very ice-berg-lettucy, but looked appetizing nonetheless.
(3)Paul B.
We usually go to the location on Ina & Thornydale and get taken care of really well. Our server was extremely nice and helpful. We went during lunch, so my friend had the chicken enchiladas and I had the Chicken Colorado with white sauce. But the one thing that stood out for me was the Pico De Gallo they make with roasted green chiles. That was the best Pico De Gallo I've ever tasted in my life, hands down. I love Pico De Gallo and have tried it many ways, but this takes the cake. I guess my addiction to green chiles helps that but I gotta say, you should try it. The prices here are affordable, the food is great and the service is too. I will be going back soon!
(5)Paul C.
Ridiculously huge portions on a $7 lunch menu! I couldn't believe the size of the red chile con carne chimichanga, with guacamole and enchilada sauce included. It's easily two meals. They were also very fast during lunch time, and the included chips and salsa were tasty.
(5)Robyn R.
I usually go to this restaurant frequently.... No more..... I sat and waited for a bowl of albondigas soup for 45 minutes when the waiter came and said that they were out! So I ordered menudo which suppose to come with toasted bread which I never got! My friend asked 3 different people to check on her one enchilada and refried beans not one person came back to tell her how much longer! The waiter was awful! Never again!
(1)Daniel S.
Not even one of Tucson's average Mexican food restaurants. While not filthy, I had the feeling that the table and booth had not been properly cleaned. The refried beans, while tasty, were the consistency of runny mashed potatoes. I know that there are several styles of refried beans and they vary from whole beans at one extreme to a paste at the other but I felt like I was eating mid-grade chicken soup where there are two small chunks of chicken and the rest just broth. The mild salsa shouldn't be called salsa. It looked like a can of diced Ro-Tel tomatoes and tomato paste were dumped in the bowl with some cilantro added. The spicy salsa was actually pretty good. My margarita had waaaay too much drink mix with an inadequate amount of tequila. On the plus side, my shredded beef chimichanga was at least average. I will never darken this establishment's door step again.
(1)Maddy H.
Best chips & salsa I've ever had. I suggest eating their for family occasions just to inhale the chips. Food is similar to Casa Molinas and often times just as good. The decor is questionable but if the food is good hell if I care.
(4)Michael S.
The food and prices are good and their location is convenient, which is why I keep coming back. Their service ALWAYS sucks though. I've been coming since they openned this location and all but once the service has been horrible. If you're in the mood for Mexican in this area go south 3 miles to 22nd and Pantano and go to Casa Del Rio.
(3)Gary K.
Another convenient local place we regularly visit on the Near Northeast side of Tucson. Friendly staff, lots of seating (we never seem to have to wait even when they are packed). Relatively cheap eats. We have learned what to order and what to avoid (do not like the chili rellenos or tamales or grilled steak/shrimp special - dry, tough and seems to always be overcooked), but still have lots of favorites; Enchiladas de la Casa (chicken enchiladas with a white sauce), carne asada tacos or carne asada burrito (or chimichanga), shrimp fajitas (enough for two but skimpy with the tortillas - only give one and charge extra for a second or third flour tortilla), if ordering beef fajitas I recommend substituting the carne asada meat for the regular beef which tends to be dry and not as flavorful, plain small cheese crisp is a good appetizer (anything larger gets cold and not very good when no longer hot), and when ordering iced tea or just water they will leave upon request a small pitcher for you to refill your own glass as needed. With basket of chips you get a spicy salsa, but a mild salsa is available.
(3)L L.
Today, I decided to indulge & eat menudo & went over to Nico's taco to buy some, but they ran out of it. I then came here & ordered the menudo & shredded beef taco to bring home. For $4.99, the menudo came in a large tub & I was thrilled. However, the waitress did not ask if I want any tortilla or borillo bread to go with it. The garnishes were dismal, a couple pieces of dried lime & dried out cilantro/green onions. The $2.99 beef taco was a reasonable size with lettuce, chips, & salsa. Hottest salsa in town! Both entrees were very tasty & flavorful.
(4)Captain J.
Place was dirty...My chimichanga was not only cold the meat smelled rotten. I almost vomited..And when I complained the waiter was extremely rude. And I saw roaches...Needless to say I am never returning to this ptomaine palace
(1)Colin W.
Very disappointing -- we had been fairly frequent patrons but will not dine there again. The host encouraged us to sit outside on Sat eve as they had a big party inside. We obliged and ordered our drinks and food. About 20 young children (kids of the people at the party) then came outside and ran around (played tag, screamed at the top of their lungs, etc) the entire time we ate. I complained to the host as we paid our bill that it was inappropriate for the parents to allow that and also for the restaurant to allow all their outdoor patrons to be disturbed that way, and he simply shrugged. Not cool.
(1)Jon F.
Go there! Excellent food, good portions, good price, excellent service. A great value!
(5)Julia S.
My family and I have recently become big fans of El Molinito! The food, prices, portions, and service are all top notch. I can tell you that the ground beef, shredded beef, and carne asada chimichangas are all excellent here, not to mention that they have some of the best and hottest salsa I've ever had. They also have great nachos; it's just mind boggling that they're absent from the menu. But the real selling point to El Molinito is that everything is so fairly priced. A ground beef chimi with the works; that's guacamole, sour cream, and enchilada sauce, only sets me back eight dollars or so. So I'm obviously quite taken with El Molinito. That said, their burritos leave much to be desired. Even the worst Mexican chains serve adequate Carne Asada burritos, to the point where I'd say it's hard to mess up. El Molinito found a way.
(4)Paul D.
My family and I have come to El Molinito a lot. It's not fancy but the food is good, especially when you consider the price of their lunch specials. Usually, they are very quick and I've never had a problem getting in/out over a lunch hour. You can get a very solid lunch for around $5-6. One of my favorites are their enchiladas de la casas and their 3 beef taco plate. Simple, straight-ahead but good. Dinner is a little more expensive but service is good and I am a big fan of their chicken fajitas. Atmosphere is nothing special and the place could use a re-model but overall it's a good place to go if you are looking for a good value and will spend more time looking at the person you came with than you do the decor. :)
(4)Wendy C.
Love the shredded beef tacos and I only need one margarita....it is intense. Spicy salsa is yummy or go for the tomate....milder version.
(5)Beau S.
Absolutely love casa molina! So when i saw this place driving to the gym I thought what luck! It's two blocks from my house! It looked so similar, from the lion to the place settings. My fiance ordered the bean and cheese burrito enchilada style and i went with the house enchilada because I enjoyed it so much at Casa Molina. Thus began my lesson in how this place was in no way, shape or form casa molina. Not even Close. Drinks came quickly, food fairly quickly and with "I will go get you more water." our waiter disappeared for a half hour. No check back to see how we enjoyed it, no water, just gone. After i finished my tiny enchiladas and decided I wanted more food, I flagged down the first person I saw (a manager i think) and asked for a taco. Cue manager trying to figure out who my waiter was. Honestly I had only seen my waiter twice so I shrugged noncommittally and gestured to the three or so waitstaff sitting eating at a far table. Lo and behold, none were my waiter. 5 minutes later the manager tracked him down and I got a taco ordered. I was expecting a good casa molina taco. Mostly because I was hoping this dinner wouldn't be so disappointing. Got the taco. Taco was nothing special. If anything it was dry. Asked for the check, a new waitress dropped it off (while i watched our waiter print it out) and said "Here ya go." Ok. Fine. Place the check on the table and wait. Waited for another 20 minutes just for someone to pick up my check. Thought I'd tip ten percent. Then five. Then I stood up and asked the BUS BOY "do i have to pay up front?" nobody offered help. no advice. Nobody looked at us sitting awkwardly. So I paid my bill. "Would have been nice to know to pay up front." I said, hoping for an apology. Nope. Needless to say I will never go back to this place again. I would rather drive anywhere else and surprisingly I can get cheaper, better tasting food with better service an atmosphere just about anywhere else in tucson. Good thing it was cheap because i would have told them where to stick it otherwise.
(1)Jeff D.
This place is vile. The food is horrible and I have eaten at 100s of Mexican restaurants. The atmosphere is offensive. Office overhead lights. Bus-boys throwing dishes into a cart loudly once a table leaves. It's cheap. And you get what you pay for, terrible everything.
(1)Tina M.
My family of 5 was visiting Tucson from upstate NY. We picked El Molinito for lunch. What a treat! The restaurant is a nice comfortable place to bring your family with attractive decor. The staff was very neat and pleasant. Service was timely and we never felt rushed. We each picked different choices from the lunch menu. Servings were delicious and large. I loved the refried beans. My three teenagers, with varying levels of fussiness, were all happy. Bonus - I ordered a premium margarita to go with my meal. It was delicious. It was big. and it was $3.95. Wow!! Wish I had time during my visit to eat here again.
(5)Joshua L.
Zero complaints. I had the Red Chili carne burrito enchilada style with guacamole...delicious! But holy cow it's a lot of food. Service was great, salsa was great, and the margaritas were fantastic and plentiful. Easy recommendation for a low key Sonoran style Mexican food.
(5)Brian H.
I think this place has decent Mexican food. I had carne seca enchiladas and they were pretty good. The sauce had a nice red chili flavor and the carne seca was tasty and what I would expect (I was actually surprised they had it on the menu). I appreciated the amount of offerings on the menu as well. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals and the service acceptable. I would return to El Molinito for a good Mexican meal.
(3)Kate L.
I'm not even sure where to start with this review. I hate to write a negative review based on one experience, so I'll give you a little history. My parents come here often. They will pick up food from here at least once a week, sometimes several times more. They like to eat here too. Frankly, I don't get it. As far as casual, local Mexican food goes, it's just ok. The other El Molinito's around town are better. There isn't another Mexican food restaurant close-by though, so that might be the cause of this place's popularity. Every time I've gone I've found both the food and service to be medicore at best. However, this most recent visit was so bad, I'll never go back again (no matter how much my parents invite us!) It was a busy night, but they were fully staffed and the tables were turning over quickly. Our party of 7 included some out of town family, as well as my 1 year old son. After we were seated, it took 10 minutes for someone to realize they had a table and come over to take our drink orders. It was another 15 minutes before they came back for our food order. Then the real wait began. One hour. That's how long it took our food to come out. One full hour. Our waiter, in all that time, never came over to apologize or explain. To provide free appetizers or discount our bill. No drink refills, I got up three times to refill my own drink from a pitcher of iced tea that was on the bar, but once that ran out we were out. We got up on our own several times to track down our waiter. Every time a promise to go check the status. Every time he never came back. Finally, my husband went to track down a manager. The manager was very apologetic, and offered to comp our entire bill (he was trying to resolve the situation for us). However, still no dinner. For anyone with a 1 year old, an hour to wait for dinner is like asking an adult to wait 5 hours. He was hungry, and tired of sitting and waiting. It was horrible for him, and horrible for us. I asked for even some crackers just so he would have something to munch on, and they wouldn't bring any out. When the food finally came out... I repeat, one hour after we ordered (not sat down), it was cold. My soup was room temperature, and everyone else's food was cold and hard from sitting out too long. That is, except for my mom's dinner... which never came out at all. The waiter came back and apologized for the long wait, and then proceeded to go around to every single person at the table and apologize... very awkward because it was like he was looking for us to say "it's ok". And then he handed us the bill for the full price... including my mom's dinner which he never even served! We went back to the manager, who said he would take care of it. This has to be one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. All I can say is El Molinito had better hope another Mexican food place doesn't move close to them, because I think any amount of competition would (and should) put them out of business.
(1)Melissa S.
Food was good. Had a shredded beef chimichanga with beans. I was disappointed in the salsa though. The hot salsa was good but the mild salsa tasted like tomato juice. Waiter was attentive and kept our drinks filled. The portions are large, so you won't be leaving hungry.
(4)Lauren K.
We used to really like going to El Molinito on Ina, so when we moved to the east side of Tucson, we thought we'd like this Pantano location. Nope, not so. The food is slightly different in preparation. Why do they have to put chunks of unflavored tomato into their chicken burritos? It adds nothing, except for tomato seeds and skins. The shredded beef burrito had what appeared to be a fatty layer of skin in it. It was completely disgusting and I couldn't continue eating. The cheese crisps are decent, and the only dish I feel "safe" enough to eat if I have to go here anymore. Their salsa is good enough. The margaritas were a little bit small, but they tasted fine. The service flat out stinks. Good luck getting a drink refill. We resorted to asking for a pitcher of soda for the table, which helped, but counts as me serving the table. They also have no personality, and the language barrier can be difficult. The restaurant itself is filthy. The prices are very cheap, so I guess you get what you pay for here. For slightly more money, though, there are places in town that serve better quality, tasty food.
(2)