I decided to give this place another shot since it was closed the first time I attempted to dine here. I'm glad I decided to come back, it was pretty good. We started with the Grande Nachos. They were good, but I'm not a big fan of olives and they loaded it down. I don't like olives per se, but I can usually tolerate eating them, but this time I had to pick them out. Way too overpowering. My entree was a chimichanga covered in white queso, and a shrimp taco. I decided to go lite for lunch. Both were very delicious! The refried beans were the best I've ever had. The restaurant is small, but has a good seating layout. The dining area was clean, and the atmosphere is typical of a Mexican restaurant. Our server, Christy, was friendly and stayed on top of things. The menu was typical and the pricing was on the high end of average. I would say this was an all-round good experience (minus the olives).
(4)
Cori W.
Have to take a star and it's mainly because whomever the older lady standing at the front of the restaurant was wasn't so friendly last night. So we came in and we were the a**holes who came when it closed. Basically we didn't realize they closed at 8 (who closes at 8pm?). So she gave us some weird looks when we walked in....said that we've already closed but then sat us. i mean if you're closed tell me you're closed.....That was frustrating and rude. Had her tone been different I may not have taken it as she was being rude....but her tone was not very nice. That being said I had their steak and chicken taco.....the steak was AMAZING. We had their guac and that was really good and fresh. My husband had their chimichanga and that was good. Also our server was really nice and attentive. Food good, server good, lady at the front not so good.
(3)
Kate S.
I went there for Saturday dinner, it's packed!! Even 30 mins till restaurant closed there're still people waiting. Luckily we didn't have to wait to be seat. Food was good not the best yet but the best in this area. I've been tried a few places but didn't find the one that on point yet. Since I step in the restaurant I can feel it goin to be a good night!! My husband got grilled steak it was good but the steak was well done so it a lil chewy. I got House Bandera Burrito steak, everything was so good. We also ask our server for hot sauce and he brought us the homemade hot sauce, it was good and spicy but not real spice. service was great, they were always come checking on us if we were doin ok. And let us know that the food will taking a lil longer cos there were big group of party. Overall good experience and will definitely goin back there again.
(4)
Lindsay G.
I went here w/ a group of coworkers on our lunch break. They go each week for "taco Tuesday" and I see why...the prices are unbelievable for what you get! I only paid $5 for 2 fresh chicken tacos. You can order them any way you like and they're made fresh. Download their app and you get free chips/salsa to munch on while you wait. Their guacamole was a bit disappointing...way too many onions. Our waiter was super nice, restaurant was clean, and food came out in a timely manner!
(3)
Nadine F.
If you are trying to decide between that other "Taco" place and here....choose here. Hidden in Valrico where you really don't think to look for a Taqueria, this place is worth the trip and the awful traffic. Everything here is made in house. I couldn't decide what to order so we ordered way too much. We tried the Guacamole which was super chunky with lots of seasoning and probably the best Guac I have ever had. We tried the Queso, which is a white cheese with a little bit of spice! We tried the salsa which was mild but extremely fresh! We dipped an entire basket of homemade chips. They were thick and crunchy.Then I ordered a pick 3, not because I was still hungry after all that chips and dip, but because I was impressed and wanted to taste it all. The stand out and winner of best taco ever, was the Al Pastor. Marinated pork with pineapple that was probably made in taco heaven. Runner up was the tinga empanada which is an empanada with marinated shredded chicken. I was so sad that I was too full to finish the empanada, that I made my husband eat it so it wouldn't be wasted. The third choice didn't get much attention because I was so darn stuffed I couldn't breath, but I did take a bite and it is worth mentioning that the picadillo taco also had great flavor. The service was about as good as it gets! I think this is the friendliest restaurant in Brandon and Valrico combined. The servers welcomed us as we followed the hostess past them to our table. The manager visited our table just to make sure we were enjoying everything. Every single person had a smile.Our server,Stevie took such great care of us! On top of every need even before we realized we needed it and seemed happy to do it. I have already told friends and family to make sure to stop in but because of the small size of this adorable cozy restaurant, I am now afraid there will be a line around the building the next time I go.
(5)
Dianna B.
I -FINALLY- got around to using the gift card I won at our big party. Since I was out in Brandon tonight i decided to invite a friend out with me to sample the food, and see if it was as good as I remembered it. We arrived at 7ish, and Tony was our waiter, Apparently he worked our Yelpie's event at Carne! He was a very gracious waiter and made sure that all our needs were met. We started our meals with drinks, chips & salsa. The chips were hand made and the salsa was fresh - if made with a touch too much cilantro - but that's to my taste, someone else might not agree. We asked suggestions on meals as we'd never been there before and he suggest the Carne (pork) and a few other dishes. I took him up on the pork as it's one of my favorite dishes and my friend went for the enchiladas. In the mean while, our chips were re-filled and we were given a dish of some of the tastiest guacamole I've ever had the pleasure of eating - SO DAMN GOOD! The meals came out and LAWDY... I have no idea how I was supposed to eat all this food. After all, I'd already nommed on the tasty chips and salsa. But the meals were there and eat we did. Mine came with hand made tortillas and a huge helping of Carne, rice and beans and a salad. It was So good. The plate with the enchiladas came with 4 - yes that's 4 enchiladas, the choice was either Chicken or cheese & onion, and could be either rojo sauce or salsa verde. His plate was just as full as mine and looked JUST as good. We ate about 1/3rd of what we were given before calling it quits.. we wanted to make sure that we got to sample the desserts: Tony rattled off a list of things which included Churros, Flan, a Choco Taco (not the ice cream treat) and tres leche cake.. It was hard to make a decision. But I wanted flan and my friend went for the tres leche cake.. Both were delicious, I did end up taking 1/2 of mine home. I quite literally have a meal for tomorrow with the left overs. YES!! I will be back and I will recommend this place to people in Brandon. It's THAT good.
Bad customer service, the food is good but their service is not good .This little jurk mexican was my server he was rude and had an attitude, he got me the wrong food and didn't offer to change it. He needs to be fired, he doesn't know how to treat customers, hes a bad sever 3 other people complain about him I don't understand why he's till there.
(1)
Brittany M.
My boyfriend and I ate here last night for the first time and we were very impressed ! The food was amazing and very fresh and authentic ! We will definitely be returning . I had the tacos one chicken and one al pastor - awesome . My boyfriend got the shrimp tacos and the soap de mariscos , flavorful and full of seafood !
(5)
Ronny M.
Probably the best meal I've had in the last month bar none!!!! The flavors were just on spot!!! Great service and the guacamole easily the best I have ever had!! Greatly recommended!!!
(5)
James P.
Spot on food, good salsa, great margaritas, and some tasty tacos. Baja style done right - which is tough to find outside southern California, and especially so in Florida. Chips and salsa run $1, which is a little weird. Otherwise though, pricing is great for food of this quality. Decent service, live music on a Friday dinnertime - but only inside. Outside seating gets no live music. Trigger Warning - pretentious entitled white dad My only issue with the place is their lack of high chairs for my fat son. They don't have nearly enough, especially for their location in the suburbs right outside of Fishhawk. Plus, when some of these chairs freed up, the hostess and our server (whom we asked both of about high chair availability) didn't offer one. I would've gotten up to get it myself, but SEE ABOVE TRIGGER WARNING. Anyway, great food.
(4)
vanessa g.
This is a satisfying place for good Mexican food, I tried one of their jalapeno poppers which were jumbo and juicy, off to a great start. I then tried the steak chimichanga with queso over it, exactly what I expect a chimi to taste like, nothing more and nothing less. I was curious to try one of the tacos, which I selected the lengua (tongue), seemed authentic and tasty enough. It seemed that every person was greeted upon entering, very clean and inviting ambiance and my server was pretty decent too.
(4)
Patrice F.
So it's Tampa Restaurant week and this restaurant was featured on the list so I decided to give it try! We came in on a rainy Friday evening around 7pm and there was a line out the door. There was a 45 min wait for a party of 2. Normally I would leave if the wait is that long but since we drove a distance to come to this restaurant we decided to wait & give it a try. We were greeted by our waiter a few min after sitting down. Took longer than most restaurants but I could understand that they were busy. We ordered our food immediately as we were greeted because we knew what wanted being that we had been waiting for 45 min lol Food: we chose the 3 course featured meal. Our appetizers consisted of jalapeño fireballs & Ricky's Carne Asada fries 1/2 order. The fireballs were very cheesy w/ a kick to them. Too much cheese for my liking but when I mixed them with the fries it was pretty good. There were a few pieces of the steak on the fries that were chewy but those were quickly discarded. The fries were not hot when they got to the table. You can tell they were sitting out {done} for a few min but they were edible. With ketchup added mixed with the fireballs it was right up my alley for me. I tried the Machaca for my main course with came with a great helping of meat. I just wish they gave more tortillas with it to suffice for all that meat they serve. 3 were included w/ the meal but 4 would've been perfect. The beef was moist, flavorful, and the perfect temperature. My bf had Don Tony's Carnitas which he thoroughly enjoyed it. I tried it too and it was delicious. As far as dessert I am a big cinnamon fan so we opted for the churros & Buñuelo chips. The churros were nice & warm. We enjoyed them better than the Buñuelo chips! They were okay... They ran out of chocolate sauce that night but the white chocolate sauce made up for it. I was so full that I could barely eat all of my food! Overall besides the slow service this place is pretty legit. I'm glad we were able to give it a try! I noticed they have a happy hour Monday-Friday so if I'm in that area around that time I will def give it a try!
(4)
Jesse S.
It's been a while since we were here last. We dropped in Saturday afternoon for lunch. I ordered the carne asada torta and my wife had the chile rellano stuffed burrito. Both were amazing and full of flavor. I had not had a torta before and was glad I tried it - steak, onions, tomatoe and cheese on very nice bread. I believe they dress the sandwich with a chipotle sauce - incredible! I had a few bites on the burrito, full of flavor and very filling. The waiter was very friendly and even let us try a sample of their barbacoa, which we will be having next time. As in the past, sangrias were refreshing, guacamole was flavorful and the chips were crunchy and salty, just like we love them. So many good flavors here, keeps us coming back for more.
(5)
Beth P.
Very disappointed that on our party of 6 (2 adults and 4 kids) gratuity was forced. We always tip at least 20% - even for mediocre service and go up from there. We had great service; nice waiter but would prefer not to have 18% forced. The food was only so-so we but never base our tip on the taste of the food; strictly on service. Husband called the restaurant and complained; they said their policy is forced gratuity in 5 or more. They ripped their waiter off with their rotten policy.
(1)
Kevin W.
Went for lunch today. I got the chicken nachos, wife got the fajita salad, and daughter got a few tacos. The chicken and steak was outstanding. Really liked her special spicy sauces they gave you to use.my daughter got us some churros and those were amazing. Will come back and try something new.
(4)
Michael C.
We've ordered from this restaurant before using Moblie Meals delivery and thought that it was a good Mexican food restaurant. So we decided to go to the restaurant and try the food hot off the grill. Both my wife and I ordered the four enchilada dinner my wife's with the cheese and onion with salsa verde and mine with the picadilla and salsa roja. I wasn't really impressed with either of the two enchilada dinners and did not feel like the salsas on either of the enchiladas were very tasteful at all. Once I realized that this was a Baja style restaurant it all made sense, since I would base my Mexican food taste palate more on a Tex-Mex style verses a California Baja style restaurant. My son ordered the Chimichanga [sp] and said it was very good, but didn't care for the salsa roja either. I didn't get a chance to taste it since he inhales he's food rather than enjoying it, but I'll take his word for it. My wife really enjoyed the chile relleno when she ordered from the meals wheels so I think will give this place another try maybe it was just an off night on the sauces.
(3)
Paul B.
Great food friendly staff and good prices on food. Plus you can get your car worked on while you eat.
(5)
Steve P.
Authentic Baja Style. Great Tacos! Clean. A little on the slow side but overall a good experience for lunch
(4)
Lisa M.
We visited here for the first time last night and what a pleasant surprise! They start you with delicious homemade chips and salsa....the salsa is so fresh and wonderful, my boyfriend and I loved it! I got a pick 2 combo with 2 items I have never eaten before and both were absolutely fantastic.....an Al Pastor taco and a soup (forget the name) in a red broth with hominy and fork tender pork chunks, they even gave me fresh onions, cilantro, radish and cabbage on the side to add to the soup.....I can already not wait to go back. I forgot the name of my boyfriends meal but it was skirt steak meal with onions and peppers.....he raved about it! Also forgot to mention that their refried beans are delicious......much better than any other Mexican restaurant we've been to! If you have the opportunity I definitely recommend a visit here, you may want to call ahead because they are very busy.
(5)
Naileem O.
The enviornment is very welcoming. It is very authentic and family oriented! I loved the fish tacos and tacos al pastor! They also have the best hot sauces made fresh! Would definetly recommend this place to everyone my new favorite place for affordable and delicious mexican food
I ended up here with about 12 people and we were not sure if they would be able to accommodate us. It was pouring rain and a few members of the group raved about the place. I took a few minutes but they put some tables together and fit us in. They were busy and service was still excellent. The service was excellent. The server quickly came and ordered our drinks. I tried the red sangria and it was excellent. When it was time to order the waiter was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. We shared several appetizers and I ordered a lovely meal. I can not remember what specifically we had but I can say EVERYTHING was excellent. Every items was flavorful and far better than I have ever encountered elsewhere. I highly recommend giving it a try, you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Daniel B.
The Tampa area is well known for its Cuban cuisine with the occasional South American influenced dining establishment shining through. Good Mexican food in a proper sit-down atmosphere that's not a fast-casual chain has been difficult to find outside of Plant City and Wimauma. But that changed when Taqueria Doña Maria opened their doors on Lithia Pinecrest just north of Lumsden. My spouse (and regular dining companion) soon discovered what has become one of our favorite local establishments. My spouse is a born and raised Angeleno and appreciates fine Mexican food whenever and wherever it appears, but is happiest in a traditional table service restaurant and absolutely loves their food! Taqueria Doña Maria refers to its menu as "Baja Style" which basically means that it is a mixture of traditional Mexican and Spanish cooking with a greater emphasis on seafood, salsas and soups than is usually seen. I recommend starting with their made fresh daily tortilla chips and homemade salsa. The margaritas are tasty and adequate and the beer menu offers standard American and Mexican fare that nicely compliments the culinary offerings. The keys to any Mexican meal is the quality of the meat and the freshness of the vegetables. On both counts Taqueria Doña Maria has found success. I am especially fond of Carnitas and whether served wrapped as a burrito, piled into a taco shell, or served as part of a larger plate, the kettle fried pork is citrusy in flavor and falls apart with the touch of a fork. Both the grilled chicken and the shredded beef options will make you want to come back again and again to mix and match them in a variety of ways. Want to try something unique and tasty, give the family recipe Pozole stew of pork and hominy with cabbage, radish, and onions and lime a try with a side of tortillas for scooping. Want to try something new but don't have much to spend? Take advantage of $2 Taco Tuesday and enjoyed a variety of these beauties with homemade Horchata or the made fresh in-house Agua Fresca. Taco varieties include Tinga (a Chipotle marinated shredded chicken), Carne Asada (Grilled Steak), Picadillo (made with Doña Maria's own seasoned ground beef w/potato) and Al Pastor (a spiced marinated pork prepared with pineapple). The shrimp and fish tacos are especially tasty with an order of Jalapeno Fireballs on the side. For desert I highly recommend the home-made Churros with chocolate and caramel for dipping. The dining room at Taqueria Doña Maria is a comfortable size with a good view of the kitchen area and there is plenty of pooch friendly outside seating which is nice when the weather permits. On the weekends they usually have live music (with the harp being in fashion). Granted they had some service issues when they first opened, and on the occasional weeknight the kitchen can run a bit slow, but for the most part they seem have been smoothed out many of the backroom issues during their first year of operation.
(4)
A W.
We love this restaurant. Everything is so fresh and delicious. It's very reasonably priced. Atmosphere is nice, and clean. The wait staff are great l, very friendly and attentive to your tables needs. I never have to ask for a refill, they're already on top of it. If I could give it more stars I would!
Will satisfy your craving for Mexican food, but it's middle of the road at best!! I am trying to figure out why people rave about this place. It wasn't bad- but not off the charts. Mexican food is very scarce in the Lithia/Valrico area, so I can see where this place fills the void. But compared to Mexican restaurants say in Chicago (where I am from) - this doesn't compare. So just level set your expectations. Food was good. Service was OK. AC was out, but they were still open and serving customers. We went in January, so the AC out wasn't a big issue. Patio looked nice, but it was pouring so we were inside. Not a fan of places in strip malls, but this is common in Florida. I'd much rather drive to Miguel's in Tampa than come back. But if you don't want to make the drive, this place will suffice.
(3)
Maria H.
Best mexican food in brandon fl londi ...the cook rocks it..the service horible, but the food makes up for it...loved it...4 stars, would of give it five but the waiter killed the 5th star. .must go back but REQUEST direct waiter...
(4)
Walter I.
Tasty food with authentic Mexican traditional flavor. I would give this place 5 stars but service sucks. The servers take forever to take your order and never come back with the right order. Something they need to work on
(4)
Andrew S.
This place is good. I wish I could eat here more but my scheduale doesnt matchup. All in all a good place.
(5)
Seda S.
Love this place. The family is so nice. The food is fresh and delicious. When have I have time I will be returning.
(4)
Brian L.
Absolutely amazing and kids eat free on thursday
(5)
Denise L.
It's unfortunate that the service is so bad, because the food is good. We've been there 3 times and each time the service was poor. Most recently, we waited 20 minutes at the register to even put our name on a list, with multiple employees walking by but not acknowledging anyone. When we were finally seated, it was another 15 mins to just have our drink order taken. At that time, we did ask for some chips and salsa. We never got them as the food came 5 minutes after we ordered it. For the life of me I will never understand why restaurants serve you half of the pig and give you 2 tortillas with that. The person who brought our food was not the person who took our order, and we were never checked on by our server during the entire meal, nor did we get any drink refills. After waiting another 15 mins after we were done for someone to come by, we finally asked a busboy for a to go box. 10 minutes later the original waiter came and asked us how the food was. I asked for more tortillas, and pico de gallo to go, as well as a tres leches cake. The waiter proceeded to tell me that the cake doesn't come "to go" because it's in a glass and did I want to eat it there. Who doesn't have all their menu items to go???? At that point I just requested he bring the tortillas and pico. He finally brought me a box, and when I checked it, there was tortillas but no pico. I gave up at that point and went up to pay. At that point I noticed that I was charged $4 for the tortillas they gave me to go. Whatever..,,,get me out of this place. I waited 15 minutes, alone at the register while people ran around only worried about seating new customers. There was no one even running the cash register. Twice I told someone I needed to pay, but was essentially ignored. Finally, the waiter who had brought my food came to the register and apologized for the wait, but that was it. The carnitas were fantastic and the portion was enough for 3 people (except the 2 tortillas that come with the meal). However, they weren't good enough for me to ever go back. The staff is completely unorganized and I found out they had a brand new girl seating people on a busy Friday night....but she was also cleaning tables and getting drinks, This place needs a business manager desperately. For now I'll stick to Taco Bus.....a well oiled service machine.
(1)
Andrew G.
This could be a nice place but they lack frozen margaritas, and the chips and salsa cost money. To top it off they do not have any draft beer. The food was good but i wouldn't visit again.
(2)
Tom H.
Service was good. Atmosphere was pleasant. Food was ok. Of the three meals only one person was satisfied. Burrito was not what we expected. Cardenas family meal (3 tacos and sope) was ok at best... Beef tacos were well relieved. Decor was nice.
(3)
J A.
I really wanted to like this place but the waiter did not offer much help and my husband's carne asada was tough and overcooked. Other than the cilantro, the pico and salsa were bland. The waiter did not tell us about the beer special or the option to get the hot sauce tray so we missed out on a free beer and flavor. I wish it would have been different.
(2)
Andrew S.
Living in Valrico, we were excited to have authentic Mexican food available without having to drive to Dover; with a couple of improvements, we should be able to enjoy this place for many years to come. My first visit was a paradox: one on hand, the food was very good and on the other, the service was just horrible. Slow to get served, drinks and chips were not refilled, waiter did not know or understand the menu, and getting the check took forever. When he delivered the enchiladas, he said "here is your burrito." Having seen both an enchilada and a burrito- they look nothing alike so how does one make that mistake. However, this is a new restaurant and service issues are bound to happen, so I decided to wait and visit again before I completed my review, so here is my official take on this Taqueria. Food is, for the most part, exceptional. The green sauce on the enchiladas is one of the best I've had. The shrimp tacos are wonderful, with the correct amount of breading on the shrimp and fresh ingredients that provide a great balance of flavors. Unfortunately, the waiter told me that there wasn't an up charge for these tacos in the taco platter, which is not correct. Although not indicated on the menu, they do up charge for certain tacos (please update the menu so your waiter doesn't have to know). Guacamole is authentic, and the salsa is wonderful. The chips are a little thick for my liking, but this is only a personal opinion. On the second trip, we ordered pozole, which came out after the rest of the party received their food. We found this to be curious, since it's just soup. Once we received the pozole, we realized that they tried to make pozole as they had run out. Bad idea as the meat didn't cook long enough and it was a large clump of tough meat. Waitress told us it was just made, which is a shame as the rest of the dish is wonderful. I'd recommend they tell people they ran out rather than putting out an inferior product. Our daughter wanted chips with queso, basically nachos with cheese. The waitress charged us for Grande Nachos, which come loaded with all sorts of toppings (none of which she wanted), rather than chips with queso. I'm assuming this is server education on what to ring up rather than a management directive. The service on the second trip was improved, but nowhere near where it should be. Perhaps a change to ordering at a window, and just using food runners would help this enjoyable restaurant provide a better overall experience. I recommend a visit to this family run restaurant- you will receive a great meal and hopefully they will get the service issues fixed soon.
(4)
Daniel N.
Ordered their pork in green Chile daily special. Pork was a little tough for my taste. My Son ordered carne asada, that too was tough. The green sauce was sweet instead of spicy. The rice tasted old but the refried beans were OK. The reason I'm giving it two stars instead of three is their sub par service. Its not that full yet our server hardly comes around. They do have good specials. I doubt I will be back again. Disappointed to say the least.
(2)
Rachel M.
Taqueria Dona Maria, it was nice meeting you at our yelp event. All of you are very wonderful and very helpful,and I appreciate it. Thanks also for being so thoughtful and having an outside patio that is dog friendly. I will surely be back with my doggie. I bring him everywhere. I loved your agua frescas. I loved the mango and the pineapple. I think I would drink both of them hand in hand bc I would not be able to figure out what I liked the most. Your guacamole was great, and perfectly limey like I like it and great seasoning. Other places are shy with seasoning. You make it very yummy. Cheese dip, yum, like it lots. Your carne asada was tough though. Why oh why. It was such a huge piece, but it was a bit hard for me to eat. I felt like I had to saw it with a knife, lol. That's okay. You guys are great, and when I am in the area, I know I can come visit.
(4)
Arturo R.
We came back to try this place out once again.... And it was our last time coming here!! They have removed some of the traditional dishes, that in fact were mexican not tex mex! They have increased prices as well on their tacos, sorry but $2.75 per taco is a little steep, 4 tacos 11 bucks, 12.95 for 1!chile relleno eitha small little cup of fresh out the can beans and a scoop of rice! Only good thing about this dish they went back to the original sauce on it. What I couldn't get my mind over was the " sous chef" making sure the dishes came properly and if not fix them, wouldn't stop Running her fingers thru her LONG hair! If long hair doesn't bother you if it happens to land in your food, this is your place. Not mine thanks!
(1)
Alexandra S.
Que Sabroso! Great Mexican place with authentic eats and ambiance. Food is a treat with homemade Mexican treats such as Mole (on special), tacos, sopes and sopas! The pozole is a stand out as are the carnitas. Yes, (as others have noted) they charge for chips and salsa but they are spectacular. Freshly made salsa with cilantro and onion is well worth the price as are the higher end chips. They have an interesting beer selection which complements the food. Service is friendly and the owners (father and daughter) are very welcoming and genuinely care that you enjoy the experience. Atmosphere is livened up by the occasional live music act who make up for their lack of skill with effort. If you want authentic, tasty Mexican, come here. If you want cheap, bland Tex Mex, make a run for the border....
(4)
Sara J.
Ok, let's do this! We gave this establishment another try. Again, 2 out of 5 items we wanted weren't available. This happened the first time we ordered 2 months ago... But then, they didn't have the items we wanted at all. This time, I had the rice and refried beans sides which weren't anything special, score of 2.5/5. However, I do appreciate the fact that their food (what I have tired) isn't highly filled with salt! Thank you!!!!! I have also had the cheese quesadilla and again nothing special, score of 2/5. Chips and salsa, we order this to go, the first time we visited, the chips must have been old because they were very hard and not tasteful. Score of 1/5. Again, this was when they first opened.... Might have improved now. My friend ordered the chimichanga with chicken. She says: "overall pretty good." Would you reorder this item? "No." Score? "I'll be nice, they did feed me today: 3/5." The best item was the Margarita Cupcake. Score of 4/5. It was moist and amazing. Will we order again from this place? Most likely since we work very close and there isn't a lot of restaurants around. Will we make a special trip to eat here? Seriously.....? The red sauce that comes with the chimichanga was mildly spicy and really good! I added that over my beans and it made the meal so much better! 4.5/5.
(3)
Holly H.
Yum! Just stopped in to grab a quick bite and it WAS quick! Megan took good care of me. She was very knowledgeable about products and got me eating quick! I got a "build your own" option with a beef taco and empanada along with some guacamole. Yum yum YUM! Everything tasted homemade and delicious! I will definitely be back!
(5)
Orlando C.
As Mexican I can say this is Authentic Mexican ! Great service! Amazing Food! 100% Recommended.
(5)
B K.
Some of the reviews on yelp had me hoping that this place might replace my "go to" Mexican restaurant in south tampa. Unfortunately this isn't the case. The food was decent, but not great. Also, although you do pay for chips and salsa (as someone else mentioned) the chips are much more substantial than most restaurants provide for free. They definitely hold up when scooping guacamole.
(3)
Glen D.
Excellent food. This place has made leaps and bounds since opening. The food is fresh, authentic and just plain yummy. The only thing we are not wild about is the queso dip. It tastes like the nacho sauce you get everywhere. Everything else is excellent.
(5)
Omar M.
Great food, no doubt about it. Unfortunately we have the opportunity to dine in twice only, out of about 5 attempt. Once it was close on Monday! Second time, they were closing at 9:00pm ( sorry, we're closed!) Third time they were about to close but they host us, however many items in the menu were not available, they were in a rush and the bill came along with the dishes. The advice on the menu was poor so we ordered something that we didn't meant. The fourth time we made it quite earlier on a Saturday afternoon, it was pleasant to learn they had live music. We asked for an empty booth just in front of the musician, but they decline it saying it was reserved. By the time we were done was that booth occupied. So we learned that we can do a RSV and ask for a card for the next time. Today we have invitees so we called and made a RSV for 7:00pm. We were at the restaurant at 7:20pm but to our surprise they said that we had to call back to confirm the RSV and since we haven't called they cancelled the spot and now they are full! You know what I took too much from you guys, I'm not going to expend my money here!
(1)
Chris B.
Went for lunch and was hoping I'd finally find good Mexican food in Brandon. The service was terribly slow and we seemed to have issues with communicating. We were brought out incorrect drinks after confirming twice what we wanted. I ordered the lunch enchiladas and asked if I could try both the green and the red sauce...but when they came, it was only green. I asked for a side of red, and it never came. Oh well. I thought it was weird that they charge for chips and salsa. Very unlike most Mexican restaurants. The food itself was just okay. The enchiladas were very skimpy for a lunch price of $8.50. However, they were completely covered with lettuce to make them look bigger maybe? Even with the sauce, they tasted a bit dry. The rice was good. Overall, we left feeling like it was alright, but nothing we'd rush back to try again.
(3)
Zito W.
After we were seated it was 15 minutes before our server came to our table to take our drinks and food order. The Azteca soup was a puree of vegetables. I guess it's an acquired taste. Not what I expected. The beef fajitas were good and the enchiladas I ordered were bland. Where's the cheese? Chips and Salsa were delicious but there's a charge. There were a few other mistakes made to our order as well.
(2)
Todd S.
Joseph C. My review seems to be dead on. Not only did everything come out wrong as far as our meal was concerned, it turns out you're wrong too! We DID accept the gesture of the gift card, and in fact thanked the women who gave it to us several times. As far as the Baja style cuisine and the recipes, I'm sure they're great but there seems to be a fundamental internal breakdown of communication, sadly resulting in poor service to the customer.
(1)
J T.
This place is truly a little gem. The fish tacos were amazing. The mole sauce was great. Can't wait to come back here.
(5)
Alejandra A.
Ate here today & was so excited, heard great things...unfortunately, I was disappointed! The place is decorated nice & the hostess was dressed perfectly to match, with her hair done up picture perfect! Not sure if it was the server or the cooks that ruined our experience... Our server seemed preoccupied, before asking us what drinks we wanted, she pushed for us to try an appetizer...I've never been here before so I just wanted a min to look at the menu & politely said mayb after I look at the menu. She brought our drinks & again with the appetizer so I finally said no & asked her a question bout the menu...she said she didn't know so she had to ask, came back, said yes so I ordered the meal but she asked questions that didn't match with what the meal said on the menu...but whatever, I answered. My mom ordered- & my mom doesn't like beans & told her 3X's & server even repeated it....but of course our meals didn't come out right & with beans, I asked for beef & got chicken, eggs were suppose to come with meal & I didn't get eggs! We don't like to complain so we told her what to fix, we were still dissatisfied but didn't complain anymore, it felt pointless! The food was aight, nothing to brag bout...Now there was a gentleman who works there & he made things soooo much better! He told us bout a free appetizer, brought our meal, checked up on us, & he was fabulous! He also made sure we got our check, don't know his name but based on him & the hostess I'll give the place another try....hopefully it's better!
(2)
Stacy S.
My family & I went to try it out for dinner last night. I was not a fan at all. First off, the place is extremely small & crammed. It was very uncomfortable. Also, the menu was poor. There weren't a lot of options at all. It was very limited, & not much really sounded appealing. They pride themselves for being authentic, yet it wasn't any better quality than a Moe's. How are cheese fries & a burger authentic Mexican food? We thought the salsa was good, but the chips were not. They were too thick & hard for my liking. It's sad that you also have to pay for them. My husband & I had nachos & a quesadilla. The nachos tasted like something you would get at a high school baseball game. I really think the nacho cheese came out of the same machine as sporting events. The quesadilla was dry & pretty bland. To say the least, I didn't like my food at all & left feeling hungry. My parents both got a burrito, which they said was very dry & boring. It didn't have any sauce or toppings on it. It also didn't come with any rice or beans. This place is way over priced for entrees that don't come with sides. The service was very slow & inattentive. My husband asked for sour cream which he never got. We saw our server maybe 3 times. Overall, I wouldn't waste my time going back.
(2)
Enrique B.
Pretty cool hidden gem in the heart of Brandon. Food was authentic, service was courteous and the place was clean. I judge my Mexican restaurants by the chips and salsa: and it was great!
(4)
Stefan S.
Pretty good - home made tortillas and you can tell they are really trying on the service side We ate through all our chips and guacamole and they came back and gave us a whole other round on the house. I can't think of a better Mexican place in Valrico.
(4)
Bret G.
Had dinner on Friday 31 Oct about 5:30 Chips and salsa was complementary and outstanding. I would like the salsa to be spicier but the flavor was great and the home made tortilla chips were done perfect. Not over cooked in old oil like many places around here. Our waiter seemed slightly inexperienced but was very motivated to please. I got the cheese enchiladas which were done more traditional style and two carnitas tacos on the side. Carnitas tacos were REALLY good and the enchiladas were pretty good, not the best i ever had but worth getting again. My wife and daughter split a veggie chimichunga and said it was better than most. An important point here, my wife being a vegetarian has tried veggie chimichangas almost every where she goes and it is not easy to make a good veggie chunga. Believe me she has thrown away many more then she has eaten so if she ate this one then they did something right. Beans and rice do need some work but expect these will improve with time. I am hoping they will start playing with recipes for baracho beans or maybe a simi-refried black bean mix which can be amazing if done right. Overall this is a good place to eat, it has hints of traditional Mexican food but is really just Tex Mex, very good but Tex Mex. Unlike most reviewers where you never know what to base their opinion on here is some experience to base my opinion on. I was military for 24 years and have lived in 7 states and 6 countries. We moved to Florida about 8 month ago and love it except for the lack of good Mexican restaurants. I love Mexican food and having lived in Texas, Colorado, California, Arizona, and Nevada, all places known for good Mexican food based on the ethnic population and vast variety of styles available. I can say I have a wide variety of experience in which to judge Mexican restaurants. Dona Maria Taqueria is a really good Tex-mex restaurant. their salsa is really good. I look forward to trying more dishes. The menu seems a little sparse right now but my understanding is they have barely been open a year and it takes time to build a vast menu. Great restaurants aren't just born they are made with hard work and dedication. Good luck Dona Maria I will be back.
(5)
Lola B.
The interior of this place is sooo cute! I ordered chicken fajitas for a carryout at lunch. I have to say I had really high hopes but I was very disappointed because we really need a great Mexican restaurant in Brandon. They were not bad but just ok. I was surprised they did not come with cheese, sour cream or guacamole. Wish she would have told me as I would have been happy to pay extra.
(3)
Jillian ..
Posole. Every mexican restaurant I go to that has posole, I order it. And I'm usually disappointed. Theirs is wonderfully porky, not greasy, with the proper garnishes on the side. Their other menu options are good - not amazing, but better than most. The chips are fantastic. Relleno (cheese only) is good. But the posole is perfect. I've made it a few times, and it is a labor of love - spread out over 2 days. So I really do appreciate how good theirs is.
(4)
Fran A.
Awesome authentic Mexican food! The wait was just under 15 minutes and the service was great! Portions are smaller, but don't worry they fill you up.The only thing I found strange was that chips and salsa are not complimentary, however they are totally worth the $1.95, the salsa is homemade with fresh cilantro! By far one of the best Mexican restaurants in the area!
(5)
Angela B.
We love Taqueria Dona Maria because they make their own flour tortillas in house and everything is fresh. I get frustrated with reviewers who say this place or that place isn't "authentic Mexican" because just like everywhere else in the world, depending on what region of Mexico the owner is from, you will get a different flavor of food. Even in the United States, California and New Mexico have their own twist on Mexican. So, depending on what a person is accustomed to eating, they may believe something is authentic or not, which is just silly to me. With that being said, I believe Taqueria Dona Maria offers fresh Mexican flavor and great food. In addition, the Brandon/Valrico/Riverview area was in desperate need of a good Mexican joint (Estela's is awful and Luna's was on Restaurant Red Alert!) and Dona Maria fills that void. My husband and I happily bring our son and daughter here at least twice a month and both kids love the rice, refried beans, and guacamole. For us, we always go for the carne asada, tacos or sopes. Dona Maria also offers a wide variety of meat and seafood selection for your tacos, so everyone should be pleased!
(5)
Jonathan T.
My first time going was this past Sunday and I'm glad I went. The atmosphere is nice and the food is very authentic! The staff were friendly as well. Definitely going to be a regular at this place.
(4)
Hugo G.
I gave this place another shot based on the proactive nature of the owner in responding to the comments on Yelp. The service was noticeably upgraded with friendly and attentive replacing slow and unsure. The food was excellent as usual. I had pozole and sopes and my usual Horchata. All delicious. I have noticed that the price point on certain items could be better (while I find the pozole and sopes to be a bargain, tacos and burritos seem overpriced). I'm still baffled by the inclusion of pizza on the menu. Nonetheless, the pozole is a winner and one to be worthy of a Saturday or Sunday morning visit.
(4)
Steph W.
YUMMMMMMMYYYYYY! I am from the Southwest so I always complain that there are hardly any good Mexican restaurants in Florida (and I have lived here for 15 years). A friend introduced me to this place recently and wowwwwwwwwwwwww it is authentic Mexican food!!! The guac is TO DIE FOR you can taste the cilantro and lime in it. The chips that come with the guac or salsa are homemade and THICK so you can scoop up lots o good stuff on them! I got the 'select any two' and chose a beef tostada and a carnitas taco. It comes with beans and rice. Just amazing - so fresh you could taste every ingredient! I couldn't finish the beans and rice (of course I was scooping up beans with my thick chips...) but darn this was ALL good! Fast service, delicious!
(5)
David B.
Finally after nearly 10 years here a place with AUTHENTIC mexican food...California style! Al pastor es mi amor!
(5)
Dan H.
Friendly wait staff, quick service and good food. The home made soup with pork is excellent. I would definitely recommend trying this place for yourself.
(4)
Stephen B.
I don't get what others are complaining about. This place is great. We throughly enjoyed our meal. The food is fresh, authentic, and delicious. We had chips and guacamole to start. Yes you have to pay for it but the chips are thick and made fresh everyday. Very worth it. I had the bandera burrito. Perfect The place is clean. The wait staff are pleasant. What's not to like?
(5)
Liz G.
Good food! The brunch is excellent- I usually get the huevos divorciados- two scrambled eggs on tortillas, each with a different sauce (one red and one green sauce) with refined beans. Delicious and reasonably priced. For dinner, tacos are great.
(5)
Sarah R.
Went for the first time for Wednesday's all you can eat tacos- delicious! Clean, friendly, fast... tacos were super fresh, not greasy, and we can't wait for next Wednesday!
(5)
Chris N.
Sabor is a decent place with efficient staff,but i get the sense that the food is cooked for "gringos" and hasbeen toned down in seasoning and, alas, flavor. Tacos were tasteless, rice was bland, refried was devoid of any texture--- just all highly forgetable. More zest at Taco Bell. Will try again maybe a more regional dish, but if consistent i'd say pass on this place.
(2)
Debbt S.
The food was pretty good. Service wasn't great. Waited 15 minutes before our drink order was taken. Ordered the bottomless chips but when we asked for a refill we never got it. They refilled our tea with water. I'll try it one more time just to see if it was an off night.
(3)
Jerm B.
I'll give this place a 3-star because the food is excellent... One of my favorite places in the Bay Area. The reason I subtracted the stars is due to the service. Been here about ten times and received good service twice, maybe. Definitely will still come for the food, but eventually my patience will run out and I will have to stop.
(3)
Erin E.
Delicious!!! If you're looking for great Mexican food...come here! Period. We've now been twice and it was great both times. Food has flavor (unlike every other Mexican place around) and it's fantastic!
(5)
Jeannamarie S.
Excellent service, Food and delightful staff. On the two opportunities I had to visit, I could not be more pleased. Excellent Chili Rellenos and Carnitas Tacos. Everything was served fresh and hot. Only thing I would love to see added would be the whole pinto beans... while there refried beans were excellent, it's just my personal preference. When I return to the area, I will definitely stop in! Enjoy..
(4)
Lori J.
Terrible! The worst Mexican food I've had. Enchiladas were folded over soft taco shells with a little in melted cheese & onions. Chimichanga-Chix was reheated chicken breast that was sooo dry. How can u screw up beans & rice? Way over priced. Go to Taco Bell before u eat here. Only good thing...the waitress was great.
(1)
Sergio V.
We went in on a Saturday around 12:30 pm. Food was excellent. Authenticity is based on what part of Mexico you're used to or experienced. I ordered tacos, 1 al pastor, 1 shrimp, and 1 fish. Best baja style tacos I've had. My wife had the enchiladas verdes. The sauce on them was a little sweet for my liking, although my wife didn't think so. The rice and beans that came with here dish tasted like something my mother would make, delicious. We also ordered nachos. Those were delicious as well. I'd get those every time. If you sign up for their text message alerts, you actually get a free coupon for free chips and salsa or empanadas that you can use right then and there. The card to sign up if usually located in the front. The Empanadas we had were picadillo. Good sauces, not very spicy though. The mango cupcake was pretty good and hit the spot. The only bad thing from our first experience was the wait staff. Our server was not very tentative to us. I waited for about 10 mins for my 2nd refill. Also we were seated by one, placed our order with 2 and food delivered by owner/general manager. I was never really sure who our waitress was. I spoke with the owner/general manager and she was very apologetic and come to find out, some of her wait staff was sick. Overall and good experience. We're definitely going back!!
(4)
Jay P.
So far the Best Mexican restaurant in Brandon; the food was fresh and tasted great! We were disappointed to have to pay $3.50 for chips and salsa...as noted they are spectacular. The Burritos and Chile Relleno was excellent; additionally, the staff is extremely friendly.
(4)
Ben L.
omg good tacos
(5)
Nick Z.
I recreantly too a trip to Disney World and paid $30 for some amazing Carne Asada. It was incredible. Best I ever had. A week later I went to Taqueria Dona Maria for the first time. I saw the Carne Asada for $10. I have got to tell you it was so close to the same quality as the $30 version at 1/3 the price. I know I was paying for the "disney experience in Epcot", but both plates were a home run. If you live anywhere near Brandon, this is a must! I also had chips with salsa and fresh guacamole. The guac was awesome!
(5)
Joe C.
Its a nice place to eat the food is good not to expensive the wait staff is not asking you every two minutes is everything good and do you need anything else.
(2)
Christopher W.
Went there on a Sunday, 5-18-14... and I had more than a few complaints. The salsa had the appearance of being on the thin side, but tasted like nothing but water. No flavor, whatsoever. I ordered the shredded beef with eggs (Machaca con huevo), which came with yellow rice and refried beans. The portions were good, but there was no taste to anything. It was amazingly bland, even after tasting and adding liberally of the pepper. Also, the soda I was served was 90% ice. And surprisingly, despite the tasteless nature of the food, it also gave me heartburn afterwards. How does that make sense?
(1)
David H.
We found the restaurant to be the best eating experiences in the Tampa area. We ate the fish tacos and the shrimp tacos. The food was fresh and spiced perfectly! Having been to Mexico, I found the food to be uniquely authentic which is rare. I plan to eat their food as often as I can. A true five among Mexican food and easy on the budget!
(5)
Dominic S.
If you know me from yelp you will see I go after authentic cultural food. Decided not to order however my mom is still excited. Most of the menu items are unavailable and it seems more designed for the American pallet. Not for me but come try it.
(2)
Philay D.
Finally OPEN!!! I've been waiting for some good Mexican food. We went there for lunch on Saturday afternoon and I must say, it was well worth the wait. The service was impeccable and the food was outstanding! Can't wait to go back and try different courses from the menu. I highly recommend!
(5)
Aazia O.
My Mom has been dying for this place to open so we finally went one day and dear Lord was that a mistake ! It looks like a fast food place but with gourmet prices. The food was a bit slow & did not arrive at the same time. Chips and salsa are not free even for dine-in. I ordered a shrimp taco ... yes a single shrimp taco because you basically have to order a-la-cart and once you start adding things on its EXPENSIVE. So any way I paid 3.50 for ONE shrimp taco (no side) and I have eaten better food made by a child. The flavor was lacking... should I dare say non existent. Super disappointed I would rather spend the 9.99 at chilli's for their 3 shrimp tacos that actually come with sides. Oh P.S if you plan on having a margarita .. sorry ... no liquor license!
(1)
Kristen M.
I have been waiting for this open for months and boy was I disappointed! Looks like a fast food place but with gourmet prices. The food was a bit slow & did not arrive at the same time. Chips and salsa are not free even for dine-in. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, because I figured it was a simple start to give a new place a try. It was. $9 and looked like something from Taco Bell. The chicken did not taste good and was in chunks nit shredded but chewy. It had no flavor; I sent it back. It was not worthy. It came with no sides. My guest ordered a pork taco, which appeared okay, but she said was just that: "okay." She also ordered a side of refried beans for $2 which came in a portion cup like a side of sauce would usually come to a table. Again, just blah, is the best she could rate it. (And with that small of a serving, she didn't offer to let me try a bite.) I will not be back. Nothing appears Mexican, but rather more of the other Hispanic influences typical to the area. Overall: over anticipated, overpriced, and under satisfying. Side note: said owner came to table and told me "it must just be you!" How rude!
(1)
Joe C.
Fantastic! Moving here from California we found the Mexican cuisine lacking. Dona Maria is a gem and the closest thing to an authentic Mexican restaurant in Tampa.., The Taco Bus doesn't come close to this! The tacos de carne asada are a must if you go!!
(5)
Jason K.
Ordered the pick three combo with the Sopa/picadillo, carne asada taco/flour shell and the tostada with chicken. Everything was good but I could have eaten just carne asada tacos, they were delicious. The flour shells are amazing. One of the ladies that works here stopped by and asked how everything was and I commented on the flour tortillas. She brought me a couple fresh ones to munch on. It's the little things. The prices are quite decent also.
(5)
Patrick H.
This is Baja Mexican at its best. If you want some cheap food covered with cheese sauce go someplace else. They make everything fresh, and are the best fish tacos in Tampa, HANDS DOWN! This is now the only Mexican I will eat in Tampa.
(5)
Lauren H.
We ordered queso dip and got nacho cheese. Unacceptable.
(1)
Christine A.
Sorry your information is incorrect. We were a party of only 4. My daughter, son and husband. The gratuity was added in . With tip the check came back to 52 dollars and change. Go back through your receipts. My husband and I were restaurant manager for 15 plus years and I can assure you this is not common practice on a table of 4. We were in the area to see a cornea specialist so I can assure you there were no other people. We were there at approximately 6:45 on Thursday. Maybe you should check your waitress to see if she why she is lying. Also a lady wearing a red shirt, red flower in her hair, and black pants came by and asked if everything was ok. We said no it wasn't good and it was cold. She said sorry and walked away. Plus you could do way better queso than opening a can of generic nacho cheese.
(1)
Leonardo G.
Been here a few times food is very good, but they do not serve a lot, ordered ribs (no bone) in a green sauce, I only received 3 pieces of meat (mostly cartalidge). My friend got fajitas they only give 2 tortillas and they charge u $2 for 2 extra tortillas. Service is pretty good also.
(3)
Geoffrey H.
Great food. Fresh ingredients. Staff very friendly & prompt. Will be back. Awesome guacamole too!
(4)
Arrie P.
I am from California an yes yes yes this is what mexican food should be. The staff is great the food is fresh. I am so happy they opened there doors. Keep up the good work guys this place is great
(5)
Monica M.
Not as good as I hoped for. Being from CA and TX, I know what good Mexican food is. This was just okay. The queso seemed like it was from a can (nacho cheese sauce), the salsa tasted like pizza sauce, the rice tasted like the salsa (not good), the beans had little flavor, and the chicken flautas had zero flavor. I don't believe the tortillas were homemade either. I don't think we'll be coming back here.
(3)
Chip M.
First time eating hear. The place looks very nice. Mexican music playing. Not fast food but not high end either. The service was fast but I had to ask for everything (napkin, silverware, refill). Got the chips and salsa. I did not like the chips. They were thick and heavy without a lot of flavor. I perfer lighter tastier chips. The salsa was average. Nothing special. I had the 2 item special with a taco and tostado The food looked really nice when it came out. The taco was the same shell as the chips. Took one bite and it broke into 10 pieces. Had to eat it with a fork. The tostada was good. The refried beans was actually the best thing I had. Overall an descent average lunch but nothing to pull me back as a regular.
(3)
Kelly H.
Went in tonight at 6:15 for the first time. The place was full and they were on wait. We were seated in about 10-15 minutes. To start, the window outside states they have beer, wine & margaritas however, only beer and wine show up on the menu with prices. I asked about the margaritas and was told they have them so I ordered one. It was okay but it seemed very strange because there is no bar and no other hard alcohol being served. The salsa is very good but the chips are the thickest, hardest I ever had. We waited over 45 minutes for our food. Our server was not attentive. It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water. The tables around us were all experiencing the same problems. I noticed one table sent back a plate of food and another table not eating theirs. Finally ours arrived and it simply was not good. My husband is not a picky eater and will usually eat anything. He ordered a steak & a chicken taco and they tasted like dirty socks. He ended up sending it back. I had the pork carnitas. And it was cooked well but just wasn't seasoned. The beans tasted like they came from a can and the rice was again unseasoned. It took another 10 minutes to get the bill so we could just get out of there. They had taken hubby's meal off the bill which we didn't ask for but felt it was justified. We spoke to the manager as we were leaving who apologized and admitted they were having problems tonight. He said they were short one person and it was really affecting the floor. He asked us to give them another chance. We walked out the door and there was a huge crowd waiting to get in. I just wanted to scream "don't bother"!!!!!
(1)
Rose M.
Don't even bother going to this restaurant. We arrived at 8pm on Sat night and we were told out would be about a 30 min wait. We had worked all day and we're tired but we thought it's OK, we don't won't to look anywhere else. At 8:45pm a server came out and turned off the open sign but told us and another party that we were still going to be seated but no one else. 10 min later the hostess came out and apologized that they could not seat us. That it would be more than an hour to get our food. THEY COULD NOT SEAT US!? After waiting for over an hour?! And she tried to give us a gift card! We are from out of town, have 3 tired children and stuck trying to find some place to eat at 9:15 at night! SO NOT WORTH YOUR TIME. Shouldv'e listened to all the other reviews on yelp!
(1)
Michael L.
One of the best mexican restaurants in the tampa Bay Area .. Hell it might even be the best! I came in with my family since the owners are customers of mine I was so excited to try all of the food I over ordered! To begin with the tacos were amazing we had the fried shrimp taco and the Carne asada ! The mayo sauce on the taco was amazing ! .. Since I eat pretty healthy I was a bit worried but they had chicken breast cooked perfectly with rice that was pretty lean.. The food wasn't oily or fatting at all ! The shredded beef with eggs was delicious as well cooked to perfection! Last but not least the Carne asada tasted amazing .. The Mexican seasonings used made it have flavor unlike other places that taste pretty bland ! The service was so friendly and since it was mothers day they even gave out roses. Overall it's a great family restuarant they do a good job of serving perfection! I would give it more than 5 stars but the scale doesn't go any higher! Well defiently be back to get some more great food!
(5)
L M.
My wife and I ate here 11/13 and were glad the restaurant was finally open. The facility is very nice - clean, cheerful, and nicely decorated. We both felt the food was excellent. I had flautas; she had tostadas. Portions were adequate and pricing was very affordable. Service was good. They had a lot of people working here - by my count, 5 in the kitchen and 5 waiting tables. We were very pleased and will be returning shortly. Neither of us are Mexican, but we have eaten authentic Mexican and this tasted closer to the original than any other restaurant in Brandon in our opinion.
(4)
Jakki P.
Just visited for the first time. The food was amazing! The guacamole and salsa were delicious. The queso was not up to par with the other two. We tried a bunch of the specialty tacos and they were all phenomenal. The meats were all marinated and they were served on fresh homemade tortillas. You could watch the lady making the tortillas! I would highly recommend this place.
(5)
Maria M.
Loved the true authentic Mexican food. The pozole with the side of cabbage, relish, lime and oregano was to die for. Guacamole was exquisite. The fajitas were delightful and enough for two of us. I will definitely be back again.
(5)
Justin P.
nothing to brag about. my steak tacos were very bland. clean environment but that's expected.
(2)
Sandra G.
First off, I'm Mexican-American, born and raised in Southern California. I write this because I want the readers to know that I've ate Mexican food all my life, both at home and in Mexican restaurants. Like many who previously posted, I've been anxiously awaiting for Taqueria Dona Maria to open, so I could try authentic Mexican cooking. However, like others who have posted, I was slightly disappointed. Pros: I was quickly seated, the establishment is very clean, and the prices are fair. Cons: I literally had to wait 35 minutes for three tacos (carne asad, carnitas, and fish - talapia) and an horchata. The food was okay, but the carne asada or fish tacos didn't have much flavor. I think they need to work on the baja cream for the fish tacos, I think it was sour cream. The pork taco was good to go especially with the salsa. I did order chips and salsa, which were homemade (deep fried tortilla chips). The chips could use a little less salt. My biggest concern is not the food, but the service. Apparently the machine that the servers use to place their order for the cooks was not working properly, and thus the long wait. Also, i notices that three different parties (customers) left because they weren't served. Two of them weren't served because they were sitting out doors, so I can only assume that these groups were not attended to. I saw one group of four ladies come inside to grab menus, inform the servers they were sitting outside, and then finally moved inside to be served..they really must have been hungry. There are plenty of servers, so I'm not sure what the problem is. I did receive a 25% discount card for the long wait, as did many of the other customers who were also waiting for their food. I know this is a new place, and I really hope that over time, it'll get better. Like any new business, there are going to be some kinks in the system. Despite my experience, I'll be back with the family next time. For those of you who are reading this, I'd recommend that you do try Taqueria Dona Maria and see for yourself. If you think about it, there are only a few places in Brandon/Valrico that serve Mexican food. Sabor a Mexico is the only other place thus far that I would recommend trying if you don't like Dona Maria. Finally, I look forward to next experience at Taqueria Dona Maria, so I can be more positive.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Bo W.
I decided to give this place another shot since it was closed the first time I attempted to dine here. I'm glad I decided to come back, it was pretty good. We started with the Grande Nachos. They were good, but I'm not a big fan of olives and they loaded it down. I don't like olives per se, but I can usually tolerate eating them, but this time I had to pick them out. Way too overpowering. My entree was a chimichanga covered in white queso, and a shrimp taco. I decided to go lite for lunch. Both were very delicious! The refried beans were the best I've ever had. The restaurant is small, but has a good seating layout. The dining area was clean, and the atmosphere is typical of a Mexican restaurant. Our server, Christy, was friendly and stayed on top of things. The menu was typical and the pricing was on the high end of average. I would say this was an all-round good experience (minus the olives).
(4)Cori W.
Have to take a star and it's mainly because whomever the older lady standing at the front of the restaurant was wasn't so friendly last night. So we came in and we were the a**holes who came when it closed. Basically we didn't realize they closed at 8 (who closes at 8pm?). So she gave us some weird looks when we walked in....said that we've already closed but then sat us. i mean if you're closed tell me you're closed.....That was frustrating and rude. Had her tone been different I may not have taken it as she was being rude....but her tone was not very nice. That being said I had their steak and chicken taco.....the steak was AMAZING. We had their guac and that was really good and fresh. My husband had their chimichanga and that was good. Also our server was really nice and attentive. Food good, server good, lady at the front not so good.
(3)Kate S.
I went there for Saturday dinner, it's packed!! Even 30 mins till restaurant closed there're still people waiting. Luckily we didn't have to wait to be seat. Food was good not the best yet but the best in this area. I've been tried a few places but didn't find the one that on point yet. Since I step in the restaurant I can feel it goin to be a good night!! My husband got grilled steak it was good but the steak was well done so it a lil chewy. I got House Bandera Burrito steak, everything was so good. We also ask our server for hot sauce and he brought us the homemade hot sauce, it was good and spicy but not real spice. service was great, they were always come checking on us if we were doin ok. And let us know that the food will taking a lil longer cos there were big group of party. Overall good experience and will definitely goin back there again.
(4)Lindsay G.
I went here w/ a group of coworkers on our lunch break. They go each week for "taco Tuesday" and I see why...the prices are unbelievable for what you get! I only paid $5 for 2 fresh chicken tacos. You can order them any way you like and they're made fresh. Download their app and you get free chips/salsa to munch on while you wait. Their guacamole was a bit disappointing...way too many onions. Our waiter was super nice, restaurant was clean, and food came out in a timely manner!
(3)Nadine F.
If you are trying to decide between that other "Taco" place and here....choose here. Hidden in Valrico where you really don't think to look for a Taqueria, this place is worth the trip and the awful traffic. Everything here is made in house. I couldn't decide what to order so we ordered way too much. We tried the Guacamole which was super chunky with lots of seasoning and probably the best Guac I have ever had. We tried the Queso, which is a white cheese with a little bit of spice! We tried the salsa which was mild but extremely fresh! We dipped an entire basket of homemade chips. They were thick and crunchy.Then I ordered a pick 3, not because I was still hungry after all that chips and dip, but because I was impressed and wanted to taste it all. The stand out and winner of best taco ever, was the Al Pastor. Marinated pork with pineapple that was probably made in taco heaven. Runner up was the tinga empanada which is an empanada with marinated shredded chicken. I was so sad that I was too full to finish the empanada, that I made my husband eat it so it wouldn't be wasted. The third choice didn't get much attention because I was so darn stuffed I couldn't breath, but I did take a bite and it is worth mentioning that the picadillo taco also had great flavor. The service was about as good as it gets! I think this is the friendliest restaurant in Brandon and Valrico combined. The servers welcomed us as we followed the hostess past them to our table. The manager visited our table just to make sure we were enjoying everything. Every single person had a smile.Our server,Stevie took such great care of us! On top of every need even before we realized we needed it and seemed happy to do it. I have already told friends and family to make sure to stop in but because of the small size of this adorable cozy restaurant, I am now afraid there will be a line around the building the next time I go.
(5)Dianna B.
I -FINALLY- got around to using the gift card I won at our big party. Since I was out in Brandon tonight i decided to invite a friend out with me to sample the food, and see if it was as good as I remembered it. We arrived at 7ish, and Tony was our waiter, Apparently he worked our Yelpie's event at Carne! He was a very gracious waiter and made sure that all our needs were met. We started our meals with drinks, chips & salsa. The chips were hand made and the salsa was fresh - if made with a touch too much cilantro - but that's to my taste, someone else might not agree. We asked suggestions on meals as we'd never been there before and he suggest the Carne (pork) and a few other dishes. I took him up on the pork as it's one of my favorite dishes and my friend went for the enchiladas. In the mean while, our chips were re-filled and we were given a dish of some of the tastiest guacamole I've ever had the pleasure of eating - SO DAMN GOOD! The meals came out and LAWDY... I have no idea how I was supposed to eat all this food. After all, I'd already nommed on the tasty chips and salsa. But the meals were there and eat we did. Mine came with hand made tortillas and a huge helping of Carne, rice and beans and a salad. It was So good. The plate with the enchiladas came with 4 - yes that's 4 enchiladas, the choice was either Chicken or cheese & onion, and could be either rojo sauce or salsa verde. His plate was just as full as mine and looked JUST as good. We ate about 1/3rd of what we were given before calling it quits.. we wanted to make sure that we got to sample the desserts: Tony rattled off a list of things which included Churros, Flan, a Choco Taco (not the ice cream treat) and tres leche cake.. It was hard to make a decision. But I wanted flan and my friend went for the tres leche cake.. Both were delicious, I did end up taking 1/2 of mine home. I quite literally have a meal for tomorrow with the left overs. YES!! I will be back and I will recommend this place to people in Brandon. It's THAT good.
(5)Mark H.
Decent Mexican fare with slow service. THE GOOD TACO DE LENGUA, which La Chica ordered, not me. Tender and full of sabor! POZOLE, on a day where the high only reached a breezy 64 degrees, this is what the Doctor ordered! Rich, but thin broth, so it's not too filling, and tender, slow-cooked meat. Served with corn or flour tortillas, onion, cilantro and fresh radishes on the side. CHIP 'N SALSA are fantastic. The chips and salsa are made in house! They come out warm, and they're extremely thick, so they won't break in the salsa. This wasn't like some restaurants that just crack open a bag of Tostitos and serve them up with some El Paso chunky salsa. Nah son! This is the real deal. SANGRIA - light, refreshing and delicious! THE BAD QUESO DIP is void of any flavor at all. I couldn't figure out what it was missing, but it was something important. And it had carrots in it? Not sure what that was about. BURRITO wasn't really "bad" per se, but it wasn't great either, so it gets filed under bad simply because I've had better burritos at Moe's and Chipotle. Stray from this menu item. THE UGLY THE SERVICE could use some work. Initially, it took us a while to be seated, despite there being tables available. The hosted came over and asked how many we had, and she said, "OK, I will be right back." Not sure what it was that she was doing in the kitchen, but it had nothing to do with us or the available tables. Also, our waitress was friendly, but a bit aloof and disappeared for long periods of time. CARNITAS were a no go? We had a friend with us and he ordered the carnitas. The waitress came back and said there weren't enough carnitas for an entrée because they needed to make sure there were enough for people to order tacos de carnitas. Excuse me? You have them, but won't serve them because someone else MIGHT order them too? Not cool. Serve the man his carnitas, and if the next person wants them, "sorry we're out of carnitas." They were closing in less than 90 minutes! Would I return, perhaps for some lengua tacos IF I WERE ALREADY in the area. I would not drive from my home in Tampa to eat here specifically.
(3)Jasmine D.
Bad customer service, the food is good but their service is not good .This little jurk mexican was my server he was rude and had an attitude, he got me the wrong food and didn't offer to change it. He needs to be fired, he doesn't know how to treat customers, hes a bad sever 3 other people complain about him I don't understand why he's till there.
(1)Brittany M.
My boyfriend and I ate here last night for the first time and we were very impressed ! The food was amazing and very fresh and authentic ! We will definitely be returning . I had the tacos one chicken and one al pastor - awesome . My boyfriend got the shrimp tacos and the soap de mariscos , flavorful and full of seafood !
(5)Ronny M.
Probably the best meal I've had in the last month bar none!!!! The flavors were just on spot!!! Great service and the guacamole easily the best I have ever had!! Greatly recommended!!!
(5)James P.
Spot on food, good salsa, great margaritas, and some tasty tacos. Baja style done right - which is tough to find outside southern California, and especially so in Florida. Chips and salsa run $1, which is a little weird. Otherwise though, pricing is great for food of this quality. Decent service, live music on a Friday dinnertime - but only inside. Outside seating gets no live music. Trigger Warning - pretentious entitled white dad My only issue with the place is their lack of high chairs for my fat son. They don't have nearly enough, especially for their location in the suburbs right outside of Fishhawk. Plus, when some of these chairs freed up, the hostess and our server (whom we asked both of about high chair availability) didn't offer one. I would've gotten up to get it myself, but SEE ABOVE TRIGGER WARNING. Anyway, great food.
(4)vanessa g.
This is a satisfying place for good Mexican food, I tried one of their jalapeno poppers which were jumbo and juicy, off to a great start. I then tried the steak chimichanga with queso over it, exactly what I expect a chimi to taste like, nothing more and nothing less. I was curious to try one of the tacos, which I selected the lengua (tongue), seemed authentic and tasty enough. It seemed that every person was greeted upon entering, very clean and inviting ambiance and my server was pretty decent too.
(4)Patrice F.
So it's Tampa Restaurant week and this restaurant was featured on the list so I decided to give it try! We came in on a rainy Friday evening around 7pm and there was a line out the door. There was a 45 min wait for a party of 2. Normally I would leave if the wait is that long but since we drove a distance to come to this restaurant we decided to wait & give it a try. We were greeted by our waiter a few min after sitting down. Took longer than most restaurants but I could understand that they were busy. We ordered our food immediately as we were greeted because we knew what wanted being that we had been waiting for 45 min lol Food: we chose the 3 course featured meal. Our appetizers consisted of jalapeño fireballs & Ricky's Carne Asada fries 1/2 order. The fireballs were very cheesy w/ a kick to them. Too much cheese for my liking but when I mixed them with the fries it was pretty good. There were a few pieces of the steak on the fries that were chewy but those were quickly discarded. The fries were not hot when they got to the table. You can tell they were sitting out {done} for a few min but they were edible. With ketchup added mixed with the fireballs it was right up my alley for me. I tried the Machaca for my main course with came with a great helping of meat. I just wish they gave more tortillas with it to suffice for all that meat they serve. 3 were included w/ the meal but 4 would've been perfect. The beef was moist, flavorful, and the perfect temperature. My bf had Don Tony's Carnitas which he thoroughly enjoyed it. I tried it too and it was delicious. As far as dessert I am a big cinnamon fan so we opted for the churros & Buñuelo chips. The churros were nice & warm. We enjoyed them better than the Buñuelo chips! They were okay... They ran out of chocolate sauce that night but the white chocolate sauce made up for it. I was so full that I could barely eat all of my food! Overall besides the slow service this place is pretty legit. I'm glad we were able to give it a try! I noticed they have a happy hour Monday-Friday so if I'm in that area around that time I will def give it a try!
(4)Jesse S.
It's been a while since we were here last. We dropped in Saturday afternoon for lunch. I ordered the carne asada torta and my wife had the chile rellano stuffed burrito. Both were amazing and full of flavor. I had not had a torta before and was glad I tried it - steak, onions, tomatoe and cheese on very nice bread. I believe they dress the sandwich with a chipotle sauce - incredible! I had a few bites on the burrito, full of flavor and very filling. The waiter was very friendly and even let us try a sample of their barbacoa, which we will be having next time. As in the past, sangrias were refreshing, guacamole was flavorful and the chips were crunchy and salty, just like we love them. So many good flavors here, keeps us coming back for more.
(5)Beth P.
Very disappointed that on our party of 6 (2 adults and 4 kids) gratuity was forced. We always tip at least 20% - even for mediocre service and go up from there. We had great service; nice waiter but would prefer not to have 18% forced. The food was only so-so we but never base our tip on the taste of the food; strictly on service. Husband called the restaurant and complained; they said their policy is forced gratuity in 5 or more. They ripped their waiter off with their rotten policy.
(1)Kevin W.
Went for lunch today. I got the chicken nachos, wife got the fajita salad, and daughter got a few tacos. The chicken and steak was outstanding. Really liked her special spicy sauces they gave you to use.my daughter got us some churros and those were amazing. Will come back and try something new.
(4)Michael C.
We've ordered from this restaurant before using Moblie Meals delivery and thought that it was a good Mexican food restaurant. So we decided to go to the restaurant and try the food hot off the grill. Both my wife and I ordered the four enchilada dinner my wife's with the cheese and onion with salsa verde and mine with the picadilla and salsa roja. I wasn't really impressed with either of the two enchilada dinners and did not feel like the salsas on either of the enchiladas were very tasteful at all. Once I realized that this was a Baja style restaurant it all made sense, since I would base my Mexican food taste palate more on a Tex-Mex style verses a California Baja style restaurant. My son ordered the Chimichanga [sp] and said it was very good, but didn't care for the salsa roja either. I didn't get a chance to taste it since he inhales he's food rather than enjoying it, but I'll take his word for it. My wife really enjoyed the chile relleno when she ordered from the meals wheels so I think will give this place another try maybe it was just an off night on the sauces.
(3)Paul B.
Great food friendly staff and good prices on food. Plus you can get your car worked on while you eat.
(5)Steve P.
Authentic Baja Style. Great Tacos! Clean. A little on the slow side but overall a good experience for lunch
(4)Lisa M.
We visited here for the first time last night and what a pleasant surprise! They start you with delicious homemade chips and salsa....the salsa is so fresh and wonderful, my boyfriend and I loved it! I got a pick 2 combo with 2 items I have never eaten before and both were absolutely fantastic.....an Al Pastor taco and a soup (forget the name) in a red broth with hominy and fork tender pork chunks, they even gave me fresh onions, cilantro, radish and cabbage on the side to add to the soup.....I can already not wait to go back. I forgot the name of my boyfriends meal but it was skirt steak meal with onions and peppers.....he raved about it! Also forgot to mention that their refried beans are delicious......much better than any other Mexican restaurant we've been to! If you have the opportunity I definitely recommend a visit here, you may want to call ahead because they are very busy.
(5)Naileem O.
The enviornment is very welcoming. It is very authentic and family oriented! I loved the fish tacos and tacos al pastor! They also have the best hot sauces made fresh! Would definetly recommend this place to everyone my new favorite place for affordable and delicious mexican food
(5)Fabian M.
today I tried the Pork in salsa verde....crazy good. The salsa is fantastic! I ended up on a sweet note with a Mango Margarita Cupcake and a Café con Leche! I definitely overdid it and I'm willing to pay for the consequences....it was worth it!
(5)Theresa T.
I ended up here with about 12 people and we were not sure if they would be able to accommodate us. It was pouring rain and a few members of the group raved about the place. I took a few minutes but they put some tables together and fit us in. They were busy and service was still excellent. The service was excellent. The server quickly came and ordered our drinks. I tried the red sangria and it was excellent. When it was time to order the waiter was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. We shared several appetizers and I ordered a lovely meal. I can not remember what specifically we had but I can say EVERYTHING was excellent. Every items was flavorful and far better than I have ever encountered elsewhere. I highly recommend giving it a try, you will not be disappointed.
(5)Daniel B.
The Tampa area is well known for its Cuban cuisine with the occasional South American influenced dining establishment shining through. Good Mexican food in a proper sit-down atmosphere that's not a fast-casual chain has been difficult to find outside of Plant City and Wimauma. But that changed when Taqueria Doña Maria opened their doors on Lithia Pinecrest just north of Lumsden. My spouse (and regular dining companion) soon discovered what has become one of our favorite local establishments. My spouse is a born and raised Angeleno and appreciates fine Mexican food whenever and wherever it appears, but is happiest in a traditional table service restaurant and absolutely loves their food! Taqueria Doña Maria refers to its menu as "Baja Style" which basically means that it is a mixture of traditional Mexican and Spanish cooking with a greater emphasis on seafood, salsas and soups than is usually seen. I recommend starting with their made fresh daily tortilla chips and homemade salsa. The margaritas are tasty and adequate and the beer menu offers standard American and Mexican fare that nicely compliments the culinary offerings. The keys to any Mexican meal is the quality of the meat and the freshness of the vegetables. On both counts Taqueria Doña Maria has found success. I am especially fond of Carnitas and whether served wrapped as a burrito, piled into a taco shell, or served as part of a larger plate, the kettle fried pork is citrusy in flavor and falls apart with the touch of a fork. Both the grilled chicken and the shredded beef options will make you want to come back again and again to mix and match them in a variety of ways. Want to try something unique and tasty, give the family recipe Pozole stew of pork and hominy with cabbage, radish, and onions and lime a try with a side of tortillas for scooping. Want to try something new but don't have much to spend? Take advantage of $2 Taco Tuesday and enjoyed a variety of these beauties with homemade Horchata or the made fresh in-house Agua Fresca. Taco varieties include Tinga (a Chipotle marinated shredded chicken), Carne Asada (Grilled Steak), Picadillo (made with Doña Maria's own seasoned ground beef w/potato) and Al Pastor (a spiced marinated pork prepared with pineapple). The shrimp and fish tacos are especially tasty with an order of Jalapeno Fireballs on the side. For desert I highly recommend the home-made Churros with chocolate and caramel for dipping. The dining room at Taqueria Doña Maria is a comfortable size with a good view of the kitchen area and there is plenty of pooch friendly outside seating which is nice when the weather permits. On the weekends they usually have live music (with the harp being in fashion). Granted they had some service issues when they first opened, and on the occasional weeknight the kitchen can run a bit slow, but for the most part they seem have been smoothed out many of the backroom issues during their first year of operation.
(4)A W.
We love this restaurant. Everything is so fresh and delicious. It's very reasonably priced. Atmosphere is nice, and clean. The wait staff are great l, very friendly and attentive to your tables needs. I never have to ask for a refill, they're already on top of it. If I could give it more stars I would!
(5)Brett N.
Why 5 stars? Because there's too many good things to list here. --- --- --- I nearly moved out to Valrico, but I admit to not being a frequent purveyor of all-things East Hillsborough. I was made aware of a new, local Taqueria out in Brandon, and figured I'd check it out. I'm so glad I did. In an area full of chains, this Taqueria really sticks out like a sore thumb (if only having a sore thumb was awesome. Maybe a more accurate cliché would be, "it sticks out like the lone, pain-free finger on a pair of hands with nine sore phalanges.) First of all, the story is very touching. The owner, Joseph, grew up in his Mom's restaurant, but he and his siblings went on to successful, non-restaurant industry careers. After his Mom passed away 8 years ago, he felt that it was his mission to open a restaurant in her honor. He still refers to her as "the boss" of the restaurant, as every item prepared must be done in the exact way that she would have. The standard here is perfection. We started off with chips and guac. Both were heavenly. The chips are made in-house, and are very salty... which is the only way they should be, IMO. I usually have to reach for the salt, and was disappointed when there wasn't any at our table. I quickly changed my mind after trying the chips as-is. There were insanely addicting. I would normally go for the quesadillas, but Joseph recommended a sope and a shrimp taco. I'd never had a sope before, and I liked it... but the shrimp taco was definitely my favorite. It was so worth the trip to Brandon. I could have eaten twelve of them.
(5)Tricia T.
Will satisfy your craving for Mexican food, but it's middle of the road at best!! I am trying to figure out why people rave about this place. It wasn't bad- but not off the charts. Mexican food is very scarce in the Lithia/Valrico area, so I can see where this place fills the void. But compared to Mexican restaurants say in Chicago (where I am from) - this doesn't compare. So just level set your expectations. Food was good. Service was OK. AC was out, but they were still open and serving customers. We went in January, so the AC out wasn't a big issue. Patio looked nice, but it was pouring so we were inside. Not a fan of places in strip malls, but this is common in Florida. I'd much rather drive to Miguel's in Tampa than come back. But if you don't want to make the drive, this place will suffice.
(3)Maria H.
Best mexican food in brandon fl londi ...the cook rocks it..the service horible, but the food makes up for it...loved it...4 stars, would of give it five but the waiter killed the 5th star. .must go back but REQUEST direct waiter...
(4)Walter I.
Tasty food with authentic Mexican traditional flavor. I would give this place 5 stars but service sucks. The servers take forever to take your order and never come back with the right order. Something they need to work on
(4)Andrew S.
This place is good. I wish I could eat here more but my scheduale doesnt matchup. All in all a good place.
(5)Seda S.
Love this place. The family is so nice. The food is fresh and delicious. When have I have time I will be returning.
(4)Brian L.
Absolutely amazing and kids eat free on thursday
(5)Denise L.
It's unfortunate that the service is so bad, because the food is good. We've been there 3 times and each time the service was poor. Most recently, we waited 20 minutes at the register to even put our name on a list, with multiple employees walking by but not acknowledging anyone. When we were finally seated, it was another 15 mins to just have our drink order taken. At that time, we did ask for some chips and salsa. We never got them as the food came 5 minutes after we ordered it. For the life of me I will never understand why restaurants serve you half of the pig and give you 2 tortillas with that. The person who brought our food was not the person who took our order, and we were never checked on by our server during the entire meal, nor did we get any drink refills. After waiting another 15 mins after we were done for someone to come by, we finally asked a busboy for a to go box. 10 minutes later the original waiter came and asked us how the food was. I asked for more tortillas, and pico de gallo to go, as well as a tres leches cake. The waiter proceeded to tell me that the cake doesn't come "to go" because it's in a glass and did I want to eat it there. Who doesn't have all their menu items to go???? At that point I just requested he bring the tortillas and pico. He finally brought me a box, and when I checked it, there was tortillas but no pico. I gave up at that point and went up to pay. At that point I noticed that I was charged $4 for the tortillas they gave me to go. Whatever..,,,get me out of this place. I waited 15 minutes, alone at the register while people ran around only worried about seating new customers. There was no one even running the cash register. Twice I told someone I needed to pay, but was essentially ignored. Finally, the waiter who had brought my food came to the register and apologized for the wait, but that was it. The carnitas were fantastic and the portion was enough for 3 people (except the 2 tortillas that come with the meal). However, they weren't good enough for me to ever go back. The staff is completely unorganized and I found out they had a brand new girl seating people on a busy Friday night....but she was also cleaning tables and getting drinks, This place needs a business manager desperately. For now I'll stick to Taco Bus.....a well oiled service machine.
(1)Andrew G.
This could be a nice place but they lack frozen margaritas, and the chips and salsa cost money. To top it off they do not have any draft beer. The food was good but i wouldn't visit again.
(2)Tom H.
Service was good. Atmosphere was pleasant. Food was ok. Of the three meals only one person was satisfied. Burrito was not what we expected. Cardenas family meal (3 tacos and sope) was ok at best... Beef tacos were well relieved. Decor was nice.
(3)J A.
I really wanted to like this place but the waiter did not offer much help and my husband's carne asada was tough and overcooked. Other than the cilantro, the pico and salsa were bland. The waiter did not tell us about the beer special or the option to get the hot sauce tray so we missed out on a free beer and flavor. I wish it would have been different.
(2)Andrew S.
Living in Valrico, we were excited to have authentic Mexican food available without having to drive to Dover; with a couple of improvements, we should be able to enjoy this place for many years to come. My first visit was a paradox: one on hand, the food was very good and on the other, the service was just horrible. Slow to get served, drinks and chips were not refilled, waiter did not know or understand the menu, and getting the check took forever. When he delivered the enchiladas, he said "here is your burrito." Having seen both an enchilada and a burrito- they look nothing alike so how does one make that mistake. However, this is a new restaurant and service issues are bound to happen, so I decided to wait and visit again before I completed my review, so here is my official take on this Taqueria. Food is, for the most part, exceptional. The green sauce on the enchiladas is one of the best I've had. The shrimp tacos are wonderful, with the correct amount of breading on the shrimp and fresh ingredients that provide a great balance of flavors. Unfortunately, the waiter told me that there wasn't an up charge for these tacos in the taco platter, which is not correct. Although not indicated on the menu, they do up charge for certain tacos (please update the menu so your waiter doesn't have to know). Guacamole is authentic, and the salsa is wonderful. The chips are a little thick for my liking, but this is only a personal opinion. On the second trip, we ordered pozole, which came out after the rest of the party received their food. We found this to be curious, since it's just soup. Once we received the pozole, we realized that they tried to make pozole as they had run out. Bad idea as the meat didn't cook long enough and it was a large clump of tough meat. Waitress told us it was just made, which is a shame as the rest of the dish is wonderful. I'd recommend they tell people they ran out rather than putting out an inferior product. Our daughter wanted chips with queso, basically nachos with cheese. The waitress charged us for Grande Nachos, which come loaded with all sorts of toppings (none of which she wanted), rather than chips with queso. I'm assuming this is server education on what to ring up rather than a management directive. The service on the second trip was improved, but nowhere near where it should be. Perhaps a change to ordering at a window, and just using food runners would help this enjoyable restaurant provide a better overall experience. I recommend a visit to this family run restaurant- you will receive a great meal and hopefully they will get the service issues fixed soon.
(4)Daniel N.
Ordered their pork in green Chile daily special. Pork was a little tough for my taste. My Son ordered carne asada, that too was tough. The green sauce was sweet instead of spicy. The rice tasted old but the refried beans were OK. The reason I'm giving it two stars instead of three is their sub par service. Its not that full yet our server hardly comes around. They do have good specials. I doubt I will be back again. Disappointed to say the least.
(2)Rachel M.
Taqueria Dona Maria, it was nice meeting you at our yelp event. All of you are very wonderful and very helpful,and I appreciate it. Thanks also for being so thoughtful and having an outside patio that is dog friendly. I will surely be back with my doggie. I bring him everywhere. I loved your agua frescas. I loved the mango and the pineapple. I think I would drink both of them hand in hand bc I would not be able to figure out what I liked the most. Your guacamole was great, and perfectly limey like I like it and great seasoning. Other places are shy with seasoning. You make it very yummy. Cheese dip, yum, like it lots. Your carne asada was tough though. Why oh why. It was such a huge piece, but it was a bit hard for me to eat. I felt like I had to saw it with a knife, lol. That's okay. You guys are great, and when I am in the area, I know I can come visit.
(4)Arturo R.
We came back to try this place out once again.... And it was our last time coming here!! They have removed some of the traditional dishes, that in fact were mexican not tex mex! They have increased prices as well on their tacos, sorry but $2.75 per taco is a little steep, 4 tacos 11 bucks, 12.95 for 1!chile relleno eitha small little cup of fresh out the can beans and a scoop of rice! Only good thing about this dish they went back to the original sauce on it. What I couldn't get my mind over was the " sous chef" making sure the dishes came properly and if not fix them, wouldn't stop Running her fingers thru her LONG hair! If long hair doesn't bother you if it happens to land in your food, this is your place. Not mine thanks!
(1)Alexandra S.
Que Sabroso! Great Mexican place with authentic eats and ambiance. Food is a treat with homemade Mexican treats such as Mole (on special), tacos, sopes and sopas! The pozole is a stand out as are the carnitas. Yes, (as others have noted) they charge for chips and salsa but they are spectacular. Freshly made salsa with cilantro and onion is well worth the price as are the higher end chips. They have an interesting beer selection which complements the food. Service is friendly and the owners (father and daughter) are very welcoming and genuinely care that you enjoy the experience. Atmosphere is livened up by the occasional live music act who make up for their lack of skill with effort. If you want authentic, tasty Mexican, come here. If you want cheap, bland Tex Mex, make a run for the border....
(4)Sara J.
Ok, let's do this! We gave this establishment another try. Again, 2 out of 5 items we wanted weren't available. This happened the first time we ordered 2 months ago... But then, they didn't have the items we wanted at all. This time, I had the rice and refried beans sides which weren't anything special, score of 2.5/5. However, I do appreciate the fact that their food (what I have tired) isn't highly filled with salt! Thank you!!!!! I have also had the cheese quesadilla and again nothing special, score of 2/5. Chips and salsa, we order this to go, the first time we visited, the chips must have been old because they were very hard and not tasteful. Score of 1/5. Again, this was when they first opened.... Might have improved now. My friend ordered the chimichanga with chicken. She says: "overall pretty good." Would you reorder this item? "No." Score? "I'll be nice, they did feed me today: 3/5." The best item was the Margarita Cupcake. Score of 4/5. It was moist and amazing. Will we order again from this place? Most likely since we work very close and there isn't a lot of restaurants around. Will we make a special trip to eat here? Seriously.....? The red sauce that comes with the chimichanga was mildly spicy and really good! I added that over my beans and it made the meal so much better! 4.5/5.
(3)Holly H.
Yum! Just stopped in to grab a quick bite and it WAS quick! Megan took good care of me. She was very knowledgeable about products and got me eating quick! I got a "build your own" option with a beef taco and empanada along with some guacamole. Yum yum YUM! Everything tasted homemade and delicious! I will definitely be back!
(5)Orlando C.
As Mexican I can say this is Authentic Mexican ! Great service! Amazing Food! 100% Recommended.
(5)B K.
Some of the reviews on yelp had me hoping that this place might replace my "go to" Mexican restaurant in south tampa. Unfortunately this isn't the case. The food was decent, but not great. Also, although you do pay for chips and salsa (as someone else mentioned) the chips are much more substantial than most restaurants provide for free. They definitely hold up when scooping guacamole.
(3)Glen D.
Excellent food. This place has made leaps and bounds since opening. The food is fresh, authentic and just plain yummy. The only thing we are not wild about is the queso dip. It tastes like the nacho sauce you get everywhere. Everything else is excellent.
(5)Omar M.
Great food, no doubt about it. Unfortunately we have the opportunity to dine in twice only, out of about 5 attempt. Once it was close on Monday! Second time, they were closing at 9:00pm ( sorry, we're closed!) Third time they were about to close but they host us, however many items in the menu were not available, they were in a rush and the bill came along with the dishes. The advice on the menu was poor so we ordered something that we didn't meant. The fourth time we made it quite earlier on a Saturday afternoon, it was pleasant to learn they had live music. We asked for an empty booth just in front of the musician, but they decline it saying it was reserved. By the time we were done was that booth occupied. So we learned that we can do a RSV and ask for a card for the next time. Today we have invitees so we called and made a RSV for 7:00pm. We were at the restaurant at 7:20pm but to our surprise they said that we had to call back to confirm the RSV and since we haven't called they cancelled the spot and now they are full! You know what I took too much from you guys, I'm not going to expend my money here!
(1)Chris B.
Went for lunch and was hoping I'd finally find good Mexican food in Brandon. The service was terribly slow and we seemed to have issues with communicating. We were brought out incorrect drinks after confirming twice what we wanted. I ordered the lunch enchiladas and asked if I could try both the green and the red sauce...but when they came, it was only green. I asked for a side of red, and it never came. Oh well. I thought it was weird that they charge for chips and salsa. Very unlike most Mexican restaurants. The food itself was just okay. The enchiladas were very skimpy for a lunch price of $8.50. However, they were completely covered with lettuce to make them look bigger maybe? Even with the sauce, they tasted a bit dry. The rice was good. Overall, we left feeling like it was alright, but nothing we'd rush back to try again.
(3)Zito W.
After we were seated it was 15 minutes before our server came to our table to take our drinks and food order. The Azteca soup was a puree of vegetables. I guess it's an acquired taste. Not what I expected. The beef fajitas were good and the enchiladas I ordered were bland. Where's the cheese? Chips and Salsa were delicious but there's a charge. There were a few other mistakes made to our order as well.
(2)Todd S.
Joseph C. My review seems to be dead on. Not only did everything come out wrong as far as our meal was concerned, it turns out you're wrong too! We DID accept the gesture of the gift card, and in fact thanked the women who gave it to us several times. As far as the Baja style cuisine and the recipes, I'm sure they're great but there seems to be a fundamental internal breakdown of communication, sadly resulting in poor service to the customer.
(1)J T.
This place is truly a little gem. The fish tacos were amazing. The mole sauce was great. Can't wait to come back here.
(5)Alejandra A.
Ate here today & was so excited, heard great things...unfortunately, I was disappointed! The place is decorated nice & the hostess was dressed perfectly to match, with her hair done up picture perfect! Not sure if it was the server or the cooks that ruined our experience... Our server seemed preoccupied, before asking us what drinks we wanted, she pushed for us to try an appetizer...I've never been here before so I just wanted a min to look at the menu & politely said mayb after I look at the menu. She brought our drinks & again with the appetizer so I finally said no & asked her a question bout the menu...she said she didn't know so she had to ask, came back, said yes so I ordered the meal but she asked questions that didn't match with what the meal said on the menu...but whatever, I answered. My mom ordered- & my mom doesn't like beans & told her 3X's & server even repeated it....but of course our meals didn't come out right & with beans, I asked for beef & got chicken, eggs were suppose to come with meal & I didn't get eggs! We don't like to complain so we told her what to fix, we were still dissatisfied but didn't complain anymore, it felt pointless! The food was aight, nothing to brag bout...Now there was a gentleman who works there & he made things soooo much better! He told us bout a free appetizer, brought our meal, checked up on us, & he was fabulous! He also made sure we got our check, don't know his name but based on him & the hostess I'll give the place another try....hopefully it's better!
(2)Stacy S.
My family & I went to try it out for dinner last night. I was not a fan at all. First off, the place is extremely small & crammed. It was very uncomfortable. Also, the menu was poor. There weren't a lot of options at all. It was very limited, & not much really sounded appealing. They pride themselves for being authentic, yet it wasn't any better quality than a Moe's. How are cheese fries & a burger authentic Mexican food? We thought the salsa was good, but the chips were not. They were too thick & hard for my liking. It's sad that you also have to pay for them. My husband & I had nachos & a quesadilla. The nachos tasted like something you would get at a high school baseball game. I really think the nacho cheese came out of the same machine as sporting events. The quesadilla was dry & pretty bland. To say the least, I didn't like my food at all & left feeling hungry. My parents both got a burrito, which they said was very dry & boring. It didn't have any sauce or toppings on it. It also didn't come with any rice or beans. This place is way over priced for entrees that don't come with sides. The service was very slow & inattentive. My husband asked for sour cream which he never got. We saw our server maybe 3 times. Overall, I wouldn't waste my time going back.
(2)Enrique B.
Pretty cool hidden gem in the heart of Brandon. Food was authentic, service was courteous and the place was clean. I judge my Mexican restaurants by the chips and salsa: and it was great!
(4)Stefan S.
Pretty good - home made tortillas and you can tell they are really trying on the service side We ate through all our chips and guacamole and they came back and gave us a whole other round on the house. I can't think of a better Mexican place in Valrico.
(4)Bret G.
Had dinner on Friday 31 Oct about 5:30 Chips and salsa was complementary and outstanding. I would like the salsa to be spicier but the flavor was great and the home made tortilla chips were done perfect. Not over cooked in old oil like many places around here. Our waiter seemed slightly inexperienced but was very motivated to please. I got the cheese enchiladas which were done more traditional style and two carnitas tacos on the side. Carnitas tacos were REALLY good and the enchiladas were pretty good, not the best i ever had but worth getting again. My wife and daughter split a veggie chimichunga and said it was better than most. An important point here, my wife being a vegetarian has tried veggie chimichangas almost every where she goes and it is not easy to make a good veggie chunga. Believe me she has thrown away many more then she has eaten so if she ate this one then they did something right. Beans and rice do need some work but expect these will improve with time. I am hoping they will start playing with recipes for baracho beans or maybe a simi-refried black bean mix which can be amazing if done right. Overall this is a good place to eat, it has hints of traditional Mexican food but is really just Tex Mex, very good but Tex Mex. Unlike most reviewers where you never know what to base their opinion on here is some experience to base my opinion on. I was military for 24 years and have lived in 7 states and 6 countries. We moved to Florida about 8 month ago and love it except for the lack of good Mexican restaurants. I love Mexican food and having lived in Texas, Colorado, California, Arizona, and Nevada, all places known for good Mexican food based on the ethnic population and vast variety of styles available. I can say I have a wide variety of experience in which to judge Mexican restaurants. Dona Maria Taqueria is a really good Tex-mex restaurant. their salsa is really good. I look forward to trying more dishes. The menu seems a little sparse right now but my understanding is they have barely been open a year and it takes time to build a vast menu. Great restaurants aren't just born they are made with hard work and dedication. Good luck Dona Maria I will be back.
(5)Lola B.
The interior of this place is sooo cute! I ordered chicken fajitas for a carryout at lunch. I have to say I had really high hopes but I was very disappointed because we really need a great Mexican restaurant in Brandon. They were not bad but just ok. I was surprised they did not come with cheese, sour cream or guacamole. Wish she would have told me as I would have been happy to pay extra.
(3)Jillian ..
Posole. Every mexican restaurant I go to that has posole, I order it. And I'm usually disappointed. Theirs is wonderfully porky, not greasy, with the proper garnishes on the side. Their other menu options are good - not amazing, but better than most. The chips are fantastic. Relleno (cheese only) is good. But the posole is perfect. I've made it a few times, and it is a labor of love - spread out over 2 days. So I really do appreciate how good theirs is.
(4)Fran A.
Awesome authentic Mexican food! The wait was just under 15 minutes and the service was great! Portions are smaller, but don't worry they fill you up.The only thing I found strange was that chips and salsa are not complimentary, however they are totally worth the $1.95, the salsa is homemade with fresh cilantro! By far one of the best Mexican restaurants in the area!
(5)Angela B.
We love Taqueria Dona Maria because they make their own flour tortillas in house and everything is fresh. I get frustrated with reviewers who say this place or that place isn't "authentic Mexican" because just like everywhere else in the world, depending on what region of Mexico the owner is from, you will get a different flavor of food. Even in the United States, California and New Mexico have their own twist on Mexican. So, depending on what a person is accustomed to eating, they may believe something is authentic or not, which is just silly to me. With that being said, I believe Taqueria Dona Maria offers fresh Mexican flavor and great food. In addition, the Brandon/Valrico/Riverview area was in desperate need of a good Mexican joint (Estela's is awful and Luna's was on Restaurant Red Alert!) and Dona Maria fills that void. My husband and I happily bring our son and daughter here at least twice a month and both kids love the rice, refried beans, and guacamole. For us, we always go for the carne asada, tacos or sopes. Dona Maria also offers a wide variety of meat and seafood selection for your tacos, so everyone should be pleased!
(5)Jonathan T.
My first time going was this past Sunday and I'm glad I went. The atmosphere is nice and the food is very authentic! The staff were friendly as well. Definitely going to be a regular at this place.
(4)Hugo G.
I gave this place another shot based on the proactive nature of the owner in responding to the comments on Yelp. The service was noticeably upgraded with friendly and attentive replacing slow and unsure. The food was excellent as usual. I had pozole and sopes and my usual Horchata. All delicious. I have noticed that the price point on certain items could be better (while I find the pozole and sopes to be a bargain, tacos and burritos seem overpriced). I'm still baffled by the inclusion of pizza on the menu. Nonetheless, the pozole is a winner and one to be worthy of a Saturday or Sunday morning visit.
(4)Steph W.
YUMMMMMMMYYYYYY! I am from the Southwest so I always complain that there are hardly any good Mexican restaurants in Florida (and I have lived here for 15 years). A friend introduced me to this place recently and wowwwwwwwwwwwww it is authentic Mexican food!!! The guac is TO DIE FOR you can taste the cilantro and lime in it. The chips that come with the guac or salsa are homemade and THICK so you can scoop up lots o good stuff on them! I got the 'select any two' and chose a beef tostada and a carnitas taco. It comes with beans and rice. Just amazing - so fresh you could taste every ingredient! I couldn't finish the beans and rice (of course I was scooping up beans with my thick chips...) but darn this was ALL good! Fast service, delicious!
(5)David B.
Finally after nearly 10 years here a place with AUTHENTIC mexican food...California style! Al pastor es mi amor!
(5)Dan H.
Friendly wait staff, quick service and good food. The home made soup with pork is excellent. I would definitely recommend trying this place for yourself.
(4)Stephen B.
I don't get what others are complaining about. This place is great. We throughly enjoyed our meal. The food is fresh, authentic, and delicious. We had chips and guacamole to start. Yes you have to pay for it but the chips are thick and made fresh everyday. Very worth it. I had the bandera burrito. Perfect The place is clean. The wait staff are pleasant. What's not to like?
(5)Liz G.
Good food! The brunch is excellent- I usually get the huevos divorciados- two scrambled eggs on tortillas, each with a different sauce (one red and one green sauce) with refined beans. Delicious and reasonably priced. For dinner, tacos are great.
(5)Sarah R.
Went for the first time for Wednesday's all you can eat tacos- delicious! Clean, friendly, fast... tacos were super fresh, not greasy, and we can't wait for next Wednesday!
(5)Chris N.
Sabor is a decent place with efficient staff,but i get the sense that the food is cooked for "gringos" and hasbeen toned down in seasoning and, alas, flavor. Tacos were tasteless, rice was bland, refried was devoid of any texture--- just all highly forgetable. More zest at Taco Bell. Will try again maybe a more regional dish, but if consistent i'd say pass on this place.
(2)Debbt S.
The food was pretty good. Service wasn't great. Waited 15 minutes before our drink order was taken. Ordered the bottomless chips but when we asked for a refill we never got it. They refilled our tea with water. I'll try it one more time just to see if it was an off night.
(3)Jerm B.
I'll give this place a 3-star because the food is excellent... One of my favorite places in the Bay Area. The reason I subtracted the stars is due to the service. Been here about ten times and received good service twice, maybe. Definitely will still come for the food, but eventually my patience will run out and I will have to stop.
(3)Erin E.
Delicious!!! If you're looking for great Mexican food...come here! Period. We've now been twice and it was great both times. Food has flavor (unlike every other Mexican place around) and it's fantastic!
(5)Jeannamarie S.
Excellent service, Food and delightful staff. On the two opportunities I had to visit, I could not be more pleased. Excellent Chili Rellenos and Carnitas Tacos. Everything was served fresh and hot. Only thing I would love to see added would be the whole pinto beans... while there refried beans were excellent, it's just my personal preference. When I return to the area, I will definitely stop in! Enjoy..
(4)Lori J.
Terrible! The worst Mexican food I've had. Enchiladas were folded over soft taco shells with a little in melted cheese & onions. Chimichanga-Chix was reheated chicken breast that was sooo dry. How can u screw up beans & rice? Way over priced. Go to Taco Bell before u eat here. Only good thing...the waitress was great.
(1)Sergio V.
We went in on a Saturday around 12:30 pm. Food was excellent. Authenticity is based on what part of Mexico you're used to or experienced. I ordered tacos, 1 al pastor, 1 shrimp, and 1 fish. Best baja style tacos I've had. My wife had the enchiladas verdes. The sauce on them was a little sweet for my liking, although my wife didn't think so. The rice and beans that came with here dish tasted like something my mother would make, delicious. We also ordered nachos. Those were delicious as well. I'd get those every time. If you sign up for their text message alerts, you actually get a free coupon for free chips and salsa or empanadas that you can use right then and there. The card to sign up if usually located in the front. The Empanadas we had were picadillo. Good sauces, not very spicy though. The mango cupcake was pretty good and hit the spot. The only bad thing from our first experience was the wait staff. Our server was not very tentative to us. I waited for about 10 mins for my 2nd refill. Also we were seated by one, placed our order with 2 and food delivered by owner/general manager. I was never really sure who our waitress was. I spoke with the owner/general manager and she was very apologetic and come to find out, some of her wait staff was sick. Overall and good experience. We're definitely going back!!
(4)Jay P.
So far the Best Mexican restaurant in Brandon; the food was fresh and tasted great! We were disappointed to have to pay $3.50 for chips and salsa...as noted they are spectacular. The Burritos and Chile Relleno was excellent; additionally, the staff is extremely friendly.
(4)Ben L.
omg good tacos
(5)Nick Z.
I recreantly too a trip to Disney World and paid $30 for some amazing Carne Asada. It was incredible. Best I ever had. A week later I went to Taqueria Dona Maria for the first time. I saw the Carne Asada for $10. I have got to tell you it was so close to the same quality as the $30 version at 1/3 the price. I know I was paying for the "disney experience in Epcot", but both plates were a home run. If you live anywhere near Brandon, this is a must! I also had chips with salsa and fresh guacamole. The guac was awesome!
(5)Joe C.
Its a nice place to eat the food is good not to expensive the wait staff is not asking you every two minutes is everything good and do you need anything else.
(2)Christopher W.
Went there on a Sunday, 5-18-14... and I had more than a few complaints. The salsa had the appearance of being on the thin side, but tasted like nothing but water. No flavor, whatsoever. I ordered the shredded beef with eggs (Machaca con huevo), which came with yellow rice and refried beans. The portions were good, but there was no taste to anything. It was amazingly bland, even after tasting and adding liberally of the pepper. Also, the soda I was served was 90% ice. And surprisingly, despite the tasteless nature of the food, it also gave me heartburn afterwards. How does that make sense?
(1)David H.
We found the restaurant to be the best eating experiences in the Tampa area. We ate the fish tacos and the shrimp tacos. The food was fresh and spiced perfectly! Having been to Mexico, I found the food to be uniquely authentic which is rare. I plan to eat their food as often as I can. A true five among Mexican food and easy on the budget!
(5)Dominic S.
If you know me from yelp you will see I go after authentic cultural food. Decided not to order however my mom is still excited. Most of the menu items are unavailable and it seems more designed for the American pallet. Not for me but come try it.
(2)Philay D.
Finally OPEN!!! I've been waiting for some good Mexican food. We went there for lunch on Saturday afternoon and I must say, it was well worth the wait. The service was impeccable and the food was outstanding! Can't wait to go back and try different courses from the menu. I highly recommend!
(5)Aazia O.
My Mom has been dying for this place to open so we finally went one day and dear Lord was that a mistake ! It looks like a fast food place but with gourmet prices. The food was a bit slow & did not arrive at the same time. Chips and salsa are not free even for dine-in. I ordered a shrimp taco ... yes a single shrimp taco because you basically have to order a-la-cart and once you start adding things on its EXPENSIVE. So any way I paid 3.50 for ONE shrimp taco (no side) and I have eaten better food made by a child. The flavor was lacking... should I dare say non existent. Super disappointed I would rather spend the 9.99 at chilli's for their 3 shrimp tacos that actually come with sides. Oh P.S if you plan on having a margarita .. sorry ... no liquor license!
(1)Kristen M.
I have been waiting for this open for months and boy was I disappointed! Looks like a fast food place but with gourmet prices. The food was a bit slow & did not arrive at the same time. Chips and salsa are not free even for dine-in. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, because I figured it was a simple start to give a new place a try. It was. $9 and looked like something from Taco Bell. The chicken did not taste good and was in chunks nit shredded but chewy. It had no flavor; I sent it back. It was not worthy. It came with no sides. My guest ordered a pork taco, which appeared okay, but she said was just that: "okay." She also ordered a side of refried beans for $2 which came in a portion cup like a side of sauce would usually come to a table. Again, just blah, is the best she could rate it. (And with that small of a serving, she didn't offer to let me try a bite.) I will not be back. Nothing appears Mexican, but rather more of the other Hispanic influences typical to the area. Overall: over anticipated, overpriced, and under satisfying. Side note: said owner came to table and told me "it must just be you!" How rude!
(1)Joe C.
Fantastic! Moving here from California we found the Mexican cuisine lacking. Dona Maria is a gem and the closest thing to an authentic Mexican restaurant in Tampa.., The Taco Bus doesn't come close to this! The tacos de carne asada are a must if you go!!
(5)Jason K.
Ordered the pick three combo with the Sopa/picadillo, carne asada taco/flour shell and the tostada with chicken. Everything was good but I could have eaten just carne asada tacos, they were delicious. The flour shells are amazing. One of the ladies that works here stopped by and asked how everything was and I commented on the flour tortillas. She brought me a couple fresh ones to munch on. It's the little things. The prices are quite decent also.
(5)Patrick H.
This is Baja Mexican at its best. If you want some cheap food covered with cheese sauce go someplace else. They make everything fresh, and are the best fish tacos in Tampa, HANDS DOWN! This is now the only Mexican I will eat in Tampa.
(5)Lauren H.
We ordered queso dip and got nacho cheese. Unacceptable.
(1)Christine A.
Sorry your information is incorrect. We were a party of only 4. My daughter, son and husband. The gratuity was added in . With tip the check came back to 52 dollars and change. Go back through your receipts. My husband and I were restaurant manager for 15 plus years and I can assure you this is not common practice on a table of 4. We were in the area to see a cornea specialist so I can assure you there were no other people. We were there at approximately 6:45 on Thursday. Maybe you should check your waitress to see if she why she is lying. Also a lady wearing a red shirt, red flower in her hair, and black pants came by and asked if everything was ok. We said no it wasn't good and it was cold. She said sorry and walked away. Plus you could do way better queso than opening a can of generic nacho cheese.
(1)Leonardo G.
Been here a few times food is very good, but they do not serve a lot, ordered ribs (no bone) in a green sauce, I only received 3 pieces of meat (mostly cartalidge). My friend got fajitas they only give 2 tortillas and they charge u $2 for 2 extra tortillas. Service is pretty good also.
(3)Geoffrey H.
Great food. Fresh ingredients. Staff very friendly & prompt. Will be back. Awesome guacamole too!
(4)Arrie P.
I am from California an yes yes yes this is what mexican food should be. The staff is great the food is fresh. I am so happy they opened there doors. Keep up the good work guys this place is great
(5)Monica M.
Not as good as I hoped for. Being from CA and TX, I know what good Mexican food is. This was just okay. The queso seemed like it was from a can (nacho cheese sauce), the salsa tasted like pizza sauce, the rice tasted like the salsa (not good), the beans had little flavor, and the chicken flautas had zero flavor. I don't believe the tortillas were homemade either. I don't think we'll be coming back here.
(3)Chip M.
First time eating hear. The place looks very nice. Mexican music playing. Not fast food but not high end either. The service was fast but I had to ask for everything (napkin, silverware, refill). Got the chips and salsa. I did not like the chips. They were thick and heavy without a lot of flavor. I perfer lighter tastier chips. The salsa was average. Nothing special. I had the 2 item special with a taco and tostado The food looked really nice when it came out. The taco was the same shell as the chips. Took one bite and it broke into 10 pieces. Had to eat it with a fork. The tostada was good. The refried beans was actually the best thing I had. Overall an descent average lunch but nothing to pull me back as a regular.
(3)Kelly H.
Went in tonight at 6:15 for the first time. The place was full and they were on wait. We were seated in about 10-15 minutes. To start, the window outside states they have beer, wine & margaritas however, only beer and wine show up on the menu with prices. I asked about the margaritas and was told they have them so I ordered one. It was okay but it seemed very strange because there is no bar and no other hard alcohol being served. The salsa is very good but the chips are the thickest, hardest I ever had. We waited over 45 minutes for our food. Our server was not attentive. It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water. The tables around us were all experiencing the same problems. I noticed one table sent back a plate of food and another table not eating theirs. Finally ours arrived and it simply was not good. My husband is not a picky eater and will usually eat anything. He ordered a steak & a chicken taco and they tasted like dirty socks. He ended up sending it back. I had the pork carnitas. And it was cooked well but just wasn't seasoned. The beans tasted like they came from a can and the rice was again unseasoned. It took another 10 minutes to get the bill so we could just get out of there. They had taken hubby's meal off the bill which we didn't ask for but felt it was justified. We spoke to the manager as we were leaving who apologized and admitted they were having problems tonight. He said they were short one person and it was really affecting the floor. He asked us to give them another chance. We walked out the door and there was a huge crowd waiting to get in. I just wanted to scream "don't bother"!!!!!
(1)Rose M.
Don't even bother going to this restaurant. We arrived at 8pm on Sat night and we were told out would be about a 30 min wait. We had worked all day and we're tired but we thought it's OK, we don't won't to look anywhere else. At 8:45pm a server came out and turned off the open sign but told us and another party that we were still going to be seated but no one else. 10 min later the hostess came out and apologized that they could not seat us. That it would be more than an hour to get our food. THEY COULD NOT SEAT US!? After waiting for over an hour?! And she tried to give us a gift card! We are from out of town, have 3 tired children and stuck trying to find some place to eat at 9:15 at night! SO NOT WORTH YOUR TIME. Shouldv'e listened to all the other reviews on yelp!
(1)Michael L.
One of the best mexican restaurants in the tampa Bay Area .. Hell it might even be the best! I came in with my family since the owners are customers of mine I was so excited to try all of the food I over ordered! To begin with the tacos were amazing we had the fried shrimp taco and the Carne asada ! The mayo sauce on the taco was amazing ! .. Since I eat pretty healthy I was a bit worried but they had chicken breast cooked perfectly with rice that was pretty lean.. The food wasn't oily or fatting at all ! The shredded beef with eggs was delicious as well cooked to perfection! Last but not least the Carne asada tasted amazing .. The Mexican seasonings used made it have flavor unlike other places that taste pretty bland ! The service was so friendly and since it was mothers day they even gave out roses. Overall it's a great family restuarant they do a good job of serving perfection! I would give it more than 5 stars but the scale doesn't go any higher! Well defiently be back to get some more great food!
(5)L M.
My wife and I ate here 11/13 and were glad the restaurant was finally open. The facility is very nice - clean, cheerful, and nicely decorated. We both felt the food was excellent. I had flautas; she had tostadas. Portions were adequate and pricing was very affordable. Service was good. They had a lot of people working here - by my count, 5 in the kitchen and 5 waiting tables. We were very pleased and will be returning shortly. Neither of us are Mexican, but we have eaten authentic Mexican and this tasted closer to the original than any other restaurant in Brandon in our opinion.
(4)Jakki P.
Just visited for the first time. The food was amazing! The guacamole and salsa were delicious. The queso was not up to par with the other two. We tried a bunch of the specialty tacos and they were all phenomenal. The meats were all marinated and they were served on fresh homemade tortillas. You could watch the lady making the tortillas! I would highly recommend this place.
(5)Maria M.
Loved the true authentic Mexican food. The pozole with the side of cabbage, relish, lime and oregano was to die for. Guacamole was exquisite. The fajitas were delightful and enough for two of us. I will definitely be back again.
(5)Justin P.
nothing to brag about. my steak tacos were very bland. clean environment but that's expected.
(2)Sandra G.
First off, I'm Mexican-American, born and raised in Southern California. I write this because I want the readers to know that I've ate Mexican food all my life, both at home and in Mexican restaurants. Like many who previously posted, I've been anxiously awaiting for Taqueria Dona Maria to open, so I could try authentic Mexican cooking. However, like others who have posted, I was slightly disappointed. Pros: I was quickly seated, the establishment is very clean, and the prices are fair. Cons: I literally had to wait 35 minutes for three tacos (carne asad, carnitas, and fish - talapia) and an horchata. The food was okay, but the carne asada or fish tacos didn't have much flavor. I think they need to work on the baja cream for the fish tacos, I think it was sour cream. The pork taco was good to go especially with the salsa. I did order chips and salsa, which were homemade (deep fried tortilla chips). The chips could use a little less salt. My biggest concern is not the food, but the service. Apparently the machine that the servers use to place their order for the cooks was not working properly, and thus the long wait. Also, i notices that three different parties (customers) left because they weren't served. Two of them weren't served because they were sitting out doors, so I can only assume that these groups were not attended to. I saw one group of four ladies come inside to grab menus, inform the servers they were sitting outside, and then finally moved inside to be served..they really must have been hungry. There are plenty of servers, so I'm not sure what the problem is. I did receive a 25% discount card for the long wait, as did many of the other customers who were also waiting for their food. I know this is a new place, and I really hope that over time, it'll get better. Like any new business, there are going to be some kinks in the system. Despite my experience, I'll be back with the family next time. For those of you who are reading this, I'd recommend that you do try Taqueria Dona Maria and see for yourself. If you think about it, there are only a few places in Brandon/Valrico that serve Mexican food. Sabor a Mexico is the only other place thus far that I would recommend trying if you don't like Dona Maria. Finally, I look forward to next experience at Taqueria Dona Maria, so I can be more positive.
(3)