La Casita
2866 Washtenaw Rd, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197
La Casita Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Ypsilanti for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Ypsilanti for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2866 Washtenaw Rd
Ypsilanti, MI, 48197 - Phone (734) 434-0857
- Website https://www.lacasitataqueria.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
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 : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Alex G.
La Casita is a great place to go if you're craving tacos. Be wary of some of the other items - make sure to read the ingredients carefully rather than asking for recommendations. In particular, one of the sandwiches (I want to say it's called the Cuban) has so much on it I doubt most people can eat it without making a mess and/or becoming ill.
(4)Jay A.
Went to La Casita for the first time today and was shocked by how good it was. They start you off with some seasoned chips and two types of salsa (green and red). I had a chicken burrito that was delicious and had the best ranchero sauce, with a great side of rice and beans, and a little guacamole and salsa. Very inexpensive too! The restaurant itself is nothing fancy, but the people are nice and the service is quick. I look forward to going back again soon to try more of the menu.
(4)Garrett P.
In the words of Larry David, pretty good. Pretty, pretty good. Although the guy in the kitchen looked right at my girlfriend while we were standing at the counter paying and smiled big and long. Kind creepy. Freaked us out a bit, and then we laughed at him.
(4)Ethan L.
La Casita has become our go to take out Mexican place. I've enjoyed each different kind of taco I've ordered and my vegetarian wife likes the potato flautas. La Casita isn't fancy but it isn't dirty either. I've found every person I've dealt with there to be nice and friendly. TL;DR no frills but clean, vegetarian options, good tacos and good value.
(5)K. K.
Best Mexican food in the area. The salsas are all really good and the chips are fresh. The tacos and quesadillas are really cheap and delicious. The corn on the cob is great. The soup comes in huge portions and tastes amazing. I usually get one or two carne asada tacos and a chicken or shrimp quesadilla (corn or flour, they're both awesome). The service is really friendly and they always bring more chips and salsa or water as soon as you run out.
(5)Robert C.
I'd been searching for good Mexican food forever in Ann Arbor after coming over from SoCal and was getting frustrated when I happened upon this place. I went and was immediately delighted with the humble exterior and slightly gaudy interior with Mexican soap operas playing on the TV. I ordered the soft, corn tortilla tacos with carne asada, cilantro and cheese. They arrived with limes and blew my mind with deliciousness. We also ordered chips and pinto beans - something I always order at Mexican places and they did not disappoint. They also sell Mexican popsicle-type things at the front. Come here, you shan't be disappointed. Order your desired flavor of Jarritos and enjoy yumminess.
(5)Eric G.
After searching this area for an actual authentic mexican joint, I came across this place. Very very nice waitress and staff and the food was great. We had the Al Pastor, Chorizo, Carnitas and even the Tripe Taco's. Very good, quality food. I will be going back very soon.
(4)Miike G.
Good. Try the sandwiches instead of ordering an entree. Tried the enchiladas with chicken, cheese and beef were nothing special. My friend had a fried chicken sandwich that was outta this world!
(3)Allen G.
Excellent mexican traditional food. Its a little dive but well worth it. Prices are really good. I always walk out stuffed. Competes with any joint in mexican town!
(5)Tara L.
Tacos are still yum! Decided to try their enchiladas this time, and though the chicken filling was moist and seasoned well, the outside of the enchilada had TOO MUCH CHEESE! I love cheese, but this was just too much. Had to scrape a lot of it away. :( Once that was out of the way, loved the green tomatillo sauce! Fresh and crisp guacamole! Mmmm! I would order this again, but next time, request less cheese! Then it'll be a 5-star experience. :) Husband raved about the tacos, so chances are, we will be back very soon. :)
(4)W. John R.
Tried La Casita this week based exclusively on Yelp reviews, and it was great. One of my crucial signs of a good Mexican restaurant is that they serve horchata, and La Casita served a large, delicious cup full. I was happy before my food even arrived. I had a Chorizo taco and a Pastor Torta. The taco was full of spicy chorizo and was absolutely delicious. The pastor, honestly, was a bit dry and although the cheese and avocado helped improve the texture of the sandwich, overall it isn't something I would order again. My companion is extremely picky when it comes to Mexican rice and refried beans - she leaves them on the table at most places - but gushed about how good they were at La Casita, which is a great sign. Note that the dinner combos, in the $9-11 range, are a bit higher priced than some other places in the area, but the quality of the food made it well worth it.
(4)Michael L.
Good variety of Mexican food that Americans will recognize along with some more exotic or lesser known dishes. Service was notably fast, our food was prepared well and tasted quite good. If you're looking for a quick, casual, and inexpensive Mexican dining experience this place is perfect. Tacos are only $1.69 so go nuts.
(4)Elizabeth K.
Ordered the Pastor tacos (roasted pork) with Mexican rice as a side. The employee that rung me up was extremely nice ( I didn't catch his name), my order was made in under 5 minutes and was extremely flavorful and delicious. Definitely is now my go to for Taco Tuesday!
(5)Suzy B.
We started frequenting here in search of delicious sorta options. This place looks kind of sketchy inside but simple is good in this case. Food is exceptional! We love to eat in or do take out since everything is ready very quickly!
(5)Kevin T.
I love La Casita's. I am in Guadalajara and much of Jalisco quite often, so when I am back in Michigan, I always enjoy stopping in for the delicious, well prepared fare. The daily specials & the regular menu items are off the hook. Outstanding. And all served up with warm, friendly service. La Casita Owners: please, please open a location over in Dexter! Your cuisine along with cold beer on the menu will be like you striking a gold mine. Dexter will finally have great Mexican food and in return, you'll be very $ucce$$ful.
(5)Patricia G.
La comida es riquÃsima, me encanta los sopes, huaraches, tacos al pastor todo es delicioso... lamentablemente el servicio lo hecha a perder todo, la mesera del turnó matutino, es grosera y lenta, ya varias ocasiones que no nos atiende y olvida las bebidas, es notorio que no le caemos bien, es un lugar muy lindo pero serÃa perfecto si tuvieran un mejor servicio al cliente. Gracias!
(3)Christina C.
This place is magic. That is all I have to say. I love the flautas. They are perfectly crunchy with the right amount of potato filling. Also, they are only $7.99 for a meal that is large enough to feed you for two days. They give complimentary chips and salsa, which is awesome. Try the horchata!
(5)Chris L.
One of, if not my favorite Mexican places in Washtenaw county. I once went to a Mexican place in Philly that gave you free margaritas under the table. This place is almost as good. I've only had a handful of the menu items here but I can say pretty confidently that everything here is really tasty. The enchilada entree is really dope because you can get whatever fillings you want in all three enchiladas. They also got fish tacos which are not bad. All the other tacos are chronic. The people that work there are also pretty nice. Enrique (I think that's his name) is a great man. Just a good place to hang out with your friends and eat lot of tacos. Summary: Not only good tacos, but a great place to hang with friends. Oh and the decors kind of fucked up so if you care about that bullshit then go to isalita in ann arbor and spend your savings on a paltry bowl of rice and beans.
(4)Gopal K.
This place is a tiny hole-in-the-wall right across from Temptations/Nirmal Indian restaurant (and SVS Vision) in that small strip mall. Don't judge it by it's cover though --- I'm telling you the food here is amazing! ... and for a price that can't be beaten! Okay, so I've only gone here once (yesterday) and tried out their tacos (Tinga and Pollo - both versions of shredded chicken) and a quesadilla. The food was mouth-wateringly yummy, with the tacos priced at under $2 each. The portions were plentiful and the taste very flavorful. The tacos had a very fresh taste to them with the onions and cilantro layered on top and I also asked for extra cut jalapenos to be added, which made it nicely spicy! I also tried their Tres Leches cake for dessert and that was pure heaven and sin at the same time :) They have a ton of additional items on their menu, all of which are begging to be tried out! Needless to say, I'LL BE BACK!
(5)Paranj P.
Only paid $10 for all these food. Small place, fresh food, awesome test and great value. Not much I can say. As always you have to try it to believe it. #happyeating
(4)Lee R.
Favorite Mexican in town for the perfect price. The green enchiladas with the al pastor border on perfection and the sopes are a perfect, cheap,and amazing snack. Plus, this is the only place I know of in town who makes elote, the mexican corn, and it is spectacular (though ask for extra napkins).
(5)Nicole P.
My husband and I are Mexican food junkies and were excited to try this place based on its amazing reviews. Boy were we disappointed! The steak was very dry, the pork was gamey and the spicy chicken was not spicy at all and had a weird taste. The corn shells were bad. The rice was bland. The waitress was completely unfriendly and seemed to be annoyed that we were even there. The salsa was okay at best- definitely not even close to being craveable. The place was very small and dirty. On the positive side, the guacamole was good and saved the day. The conclusion- Would never ever recommend this place to anyone or ever go back again.
(2)David K.
I stopped by last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. The food, from what I can tell, is mexican, not tex-mex. I got a quesadilla and two gorditas. The quesadilla was fried corn flour folded over and stuffed with steak, lettuce, and cheese. The gorditas were exactly the same, except the presentation was different (kinda like a round hot pocket in shape, except fried corn flour etc) - one was 'spicy' chicken and the other was steak. The steak dishes were really good, but I didn't care for the taste of the spicy chicken. I don't remember it being particularly spicy either, for what it's worth. If you're a soda person like me, it's all bottles, so no refills or anything. The server/cashier was nice and attentive. The prices are GREAT. Each item I ordered was $2.00 or $2.25 (my diet coke was $1.75ish). Free chips and salsa, as you probably imagine. They take cash, mastercard, or visa. I look forward to going back again and trying other things on the menu.
(4)John D.
I got the tacos. Carne asata was very dry, al pastor was not very flavorful. I think overall this place is authentic but less flavorful.
(3)Arcelia G.
Probably the best Mexican food in Ann Arbor. This place is great if you're looking for traditional Mexico City food (sopes, gorditas, fried quesadillas, pambazos). I'm however not a huge fan of the tacos. The food is also very affordable.
(4)Chelsea W.
Tried this place out for lunch today on some coworkers recommendation. It was good!!! I got the al pastor, carne asada, and pollo tacos. Very authentic! Plenty of meat in these tacos. The service was a little slow. We waited awhile before getting our orders taken. I've been to TMAZ on Packard and this is very similar. Prices and food quality about the same. The staff here was definitely more friendly than at TMAZ. Despite the wait, I would definitely come here again. Maybe not for a lunch when on a time crunch but definitely on the weekend or for dinner!
(4)Lylian D.
I love this place for tacos and their massive burritos. Every order comes with chips and salsa, but I wish they had a thicker salsa for the chips. The salsa is good, but it's more for the tacos. I also wish that they would give more salsa or maybe bottle them and put them at every table when guests arrive like how Tmaz does it. They will always give you extra if you ask, but it comes in this tiny tiny bowl and you feel greedy constantly asking for more. On to the good stuff: I always get their beef tongue, asada, and carnita tacos. I love their wet burritos: comes with your choice of meat; I usually get asada or beef tongue, rice, and beans, which are all delicious. It seems like some people do get bothered by the basically half-naked girl who works here, but I really don't care. She's a pretty girl & guys/girls will stare no matter what. It's just the loud talking that annoys me. But hey, it's a small & informal taqueria, that's apart of the charm right?! I use to prefer La Casita over Tmaz (when they first opened), and would often drag the Bo here. Nowadays I have to compromise and go to Tmaz more often because the Bo would rather eat at Tmaz since he believes that the tacos are better at there, specifically that the beef tongue is more tender. Tmaz has worked out the kinks and I would have to concede and agree that Tmaz's tacos taste slightly better. I fell in love with Tmaz's beef soup and tamales, so it's hard to make a good case to go to La Casita now. I'll still stop by for their burritos though!
(4)Jenny K.
Eating lunch here is the best post-gym workout treat. This isn't just Ann Arbor good, but everything I've gotten here is super awesomely delicious. And this is coming from someone who's moved here most recently from Cali and grew up in Hawaii eating tacos in her family's Mexican restaurant, for reals. That Cubana torta is like something out of a dream. Deconstructed: it starts with a spread of refried beans, a slice of thinly breaded chicken, a slice of ham, a sliced hot dog (yes!), a fried egg, avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, and mayonnaise on a buttery toasted bun. And it's huge! Also a great antidote to a hangover or serious "breakfast for dinner" cravings. Their tacos are good and simple, traditional style, but I really love their "crispy" tacos. You need to tell them, or they'll default to the healthier version of the grilled plain corn tortilla with cilantro. The enchiladas are also solid, get the lunch ($6.99) or dinner ($7.99) plate, they're fantastic as leftovers with a fried egg in the morning at home. Their refried beans are amazing, super creamy I can almost taste the fat flavor drippings. And they always hook you up with a lot of freshly fried chips and salsa (the mild is so addicting, I think they sweeten it.). And treat yourself to a coconut popsicle on the way out because life is always sunnier when you have desert!
(5)Sylvonna R.
OH.MY.GOODNESS. I am in LOVE with La Casita! This is, hands down, the most authentic Mexican food I've ever had (outside of Mexico, that is). A friend and I decided to try this, on a whim, and BOY am I glad we did! First sign this place was the real deal: every seat was taken and there was a line at the cash register as we walked in. I couldn't wait to check out the menu! The food here is DELICIOUS (though delicious is a complete understatement). The menu offers everything you could ask for and the food is literally so authentic I thought I was back in Mexico. I can't wait to go back and try everything they offer. Their chips and salsa are the best I've ever had and I've been dreaming about their horchata, literally craving another sip of that dreamy goodness. With staff that's incredibly friendly and food that is absolutely delicious (and you get all this for very reasonable prices) how could you not want to try La Casita? I guarantee your stomach will thank you! This is my new favorite place and I can guarantee I will be coming back for a LOT more!
(5)Amanda H.
This place really could get 5 stars. What is dropping it down so much? I have been there on three separate occasions in which my food was moldy or completely beyond the expiration date. The first time was spoiled tres leches cake. The next visit I got a torta that had moldy cheese. The third time the chips they served as the appetizer were moldy tortillas that were them deep fried. You could clearly see the mold spots on them. So, while this place is truly authentic and has a potentially great selection, I simply cannot justify getting moldy or spoiled food--three different times, three different things. They really need to be more careful!,
(1)Pete P.
I'm no expert with authentic Mexican food but I know what I like. La Casita is delicious, filling, & inexpensive. I really like their tacos (esp. carne asada) and the quesadillas, which are different but very tasty. I've had the pombazas as well. I've never had a bad meal here and have never spent over 10 bucks. The service is good, especially if you like cute girls!!! ;) The chips and salsa (served gratis) are fresh and good. I've been here a number of times and have yet to be disappointed.
(5)Eva S.
A friend took me here to grab dinner and this is THE most legitimate place for great Mexican food. According to my buddy, who's tried all the Mexican offered in this area, La Casita has "the best tacos in the area!" They serve their tacos with two warm, corn tortillas and everything is fresh, authentic and decently priced. Score. La tripa (tripe), la lengua (tongue) and the chorizo tacos are worth trying. A word about the tripe... It was deliciously fried, crispy to the right amount and full of flavor. The la tripa taco was definitely my favorite. About three tacos will fill you up pretty well. The flautas are amazing too. The front of the restaurant is kind of hidden on the side of a building, so it's a spot that you normally wouldn't just stumble upon. That's when you know people who eat here really know they are getting great Mexican food. After eating here I feel like I'm in on some kind of best-kept secret. Perfecto.
(4)Marie H.
Over all i am giving them 3 stars. I have ordered from here about a dozen times. & I will again. The dinners are a little pricey but the food is good. Single taco prices are good. $25 will get you meals and drinks for two. This is a small place more aimed at take out. I really am only leaving three stares because I dont prefer my food served with boobs, stomach and belly rings in my face. I could go to hooters for that.
(3)Michael P.
I'm still a big fan of La Casita, but La Torre Taqueria down the street has supplanted them in the taco department. La Torre is more or less exclusively tacos, tamales, and tortas though, so for gorditas, pambazos, flautas, and a wide array of specials, La Casita is still the place to be.
(5)Rena S.
I am in LOVE with La Casita, I eat here multiple times a week! I lived in Tijuana, Mexico last year and since I moved to Ypsi I have been searching for a good authentic Mexican restaurant. I finally found it here! I love their chicken flautas! The food and the ambiance alike make me feel like I am back in Mexico! Their quesadillas are also amazing, and they are only $1.75! The tres leches cake is amazing, the best I have had in the states! My only negative is one waitress is constantly in skimpy clothing, my first encounter with her was her in tied back white beater showing her entire stomach and her black bra. Not the atmosphere I think they are going for. But I still love the food, and she was very polite so o well!
(5)Mevei I.
Great food, great customer service and reasonable prices. They offer so many more options than what's listed on the menu so make sure to ask if you have a specific dish in mind!! We will keep coming back!
(5)Ryan S.
This is the quintessential "this hole-in-the-wall restaurant has no right to be this good" restaurant. I've never ordered anything from here that I haven't loved. Not only is the food excellent, but the prices are so cheap that I worry how this restaurant stays in business. Either way, definitely a must for lovers of authentic, inexpensive Mexican food.
(4)Evie B.
I can't believe i'm going to say this, BUT LC blew Lupitas out of the water with their "traditional" mexican tacos! They were sooooo frackin good! I tried the exact same flavors that I tried at Lupes (Al pastor, lengua, beef cheek) and they surpassed my expectation. They were served steaming hot. For $1.59 totally good price for portion. Nice size corn tortillas and cooked to perfection. The meat in each of the tacos was flavorful, moist, perfect texture and cut. NO FAT. I was in heaven and devoured these delectable treats quickly and easily! We ordered a side of beans and albeit flavorful, they were served lukewarm. Next time, I would return them to be heated. Hubs ordered a quesadilla (thinking american version) and was delightfully surprised when a beautiful empanada type treat appeared before him. The picadillo was very flavorful (cumin, coriander, cinnamon...) The tortilla shell was crisp and crunchy. YUM! The salsas (small hot red, small green and large bowl of traditional) were okay. They had flavor, but I wish the traditional had some additional heat to it. The chips were nice and crunchy with the right amount of salt. THe place is small. Service was done with a smile, but they weren't really chit chatty and didn't appreciate my humor (or what I perceive to be my humor..lol) I thought it was odd that the waitress asked if my husband and I wanted to split our bill or one bill. Did she think we were married to other people and there on a tryst? (we have wedding bands) Did she think hubs was my dad? (he is 15 years older and has grayed quite a bit...LOL) NO DOUBT we will return!
(5)Lakshmi R.
I had chicken quesdilla at this place. It's good. I am not a fan of Mexican food but I love food in some Mexican places. This is just a small place and all you can see the regular mexican food nothing special in menu. But food is good and ambiance is OK.
(3)Patrick T.
Reasonably good Mexican food without having to drive to Detroit. The horchata and aquafrescas are nice.
(3)Sam G.
Take-Out Taco Review Total Average Taco Score: 7.33 (low 5 high 9) type: small restaurant price: $1.50 each 8 - fairly bare bones but nice - service was phenomenally friendly, mexican television show playing, some posters and soccer jersey's on the wall 7.5 - salsa: green (red is pepper and hot, green is tomatillo-forward and mild-medium) 8 - carne asada (steak): lean, flavorful, fairly small pieces 9 - pollo (chicken): shredded, really tender and flavorful though perhaps a little more gringo? Still, I love it unabashedly. 5 - al pastor (pork): too sweet (partner found pineapple in it?) and too ground - not my steez --------------- Notes for list: - I go in blind - no reviews no nothin' - just me and my own palate - going geographically from one side of the strip to the other - ranked out of 10: 10 being the best street tacos from Mexico (in small towns and big cities) - short and to the point: sorry, no fancy artful writing - a girl's gotta plow through these puppies!
(4)Krista A.
As a newbie to the city, I've been looking for a good Mexican place to be a regular at. I found La Casita on Yelp, and decided to try it. The food was delicious, especially for the price. Our service was very slow, but very friendly. We were able to score a seat outside, which was nice with the pleasant summer weather. I tried a pork taco and a chicken quesadilla on a flour tortilla. The taco was good, but a bit dry so I squeezed a lime wedge on it and added some salsa. Yum! The quesadilla was delicious, with melted queso fresco all over. I also added some lime and salsa to the dish, and it was so juicy and flavorful. My boyfriend tried a chorizo taco, a lamb taco, and a chorizo and potato quesadilla. The quesadilla was his favorite part. I got a small horchata to take with me, and it was a perfect dessert...and at such a cheap price. I definitely recommend this place for a delicious and inexpensive lunch!
(4)Juan C.
When we first arrived, I was a little skeptical about this place, as it doesn't have best appearance. But I saw it had good reviews so I figured it was worth trying out. And it was! I had a chicken chimichanga that tasted quite fresh, and was also affordable. I also feel like the food taste more authentic compared to large and/or chain "Mexican" restaurants. It helps that this is a small business that seems to be family run as well. The service can be a little slow with only one waitress for the entire restaurant, but it is well worth the wait!
(4)Larry V.
I go here once a month with my work crew. Sometimes we have taken a dozen of us or more for a birthday or going away celebration. They have always been helpful with letting us pull the tables together for our crew. The food is excellent, the service is great. Will continue to be one of our regular stops.
(4)Yuanyuan Z.
Great tacos!!! Cheap and awesome!
(5)Meeta B.
Now, I will say everyone has talked about the pombazos, the tortas, the tacos, the quesadillas...and the cheap prices, but I'm going to bring one more piece in. The soup. I know right? Soup at a Mexican restaurant??! Well, I still wasn't feeling well and I wanted some pozole. Even if it meant driving to La Casita and getting it to go. I was NOT disappointed. They wrapped everything separately from the broth- which was full of huge chunks of pork and littered with hominy. The soup was legit. I had been wanting some pozole for a few days now and I'm glad that La Casita filled that need. The staff are always friendly and the food, delicious. I also got the enchiladas, although I should've just gotten a side of beans and rice, since that's what I really wanted. The enchiladas were really good. I got the pollo enchiladas with the salsa verde. Given the prices and how good the food is, this is definitely a repeat offender on my list of Mexican places to visit around Ypsi-Ann Arbor.
(4)Jason C.
If you grew up eating Taco Bell, Del Taco and/or other fast food taco joints, don't come to La Casita expecting the taste of the food here will be same as Taco Bell, because it's NOT!! La Casita is hidden from the main road (Washtenaw Ave.), you'll find this place if you go to Sav-On, Dunham's, etc... it's behind the Subway, facing north. It's self seating, as far as I could tell... they take Visa and Mastercard. I sat down, the hostess brought three kinds of salsa and chips. I ordered one Fried Pork Taco, one spicy pork taco, one chicken and pepper quesadilla and one chicken Gordito, later I also ordered Spanish rice. The spicy salsa is hot, I preferred the mild salsa. The taco's came on two corn tortilla, with the meat was chopped onion and cilantro. I tried the meat from the fried pork, it was so tender and good... the taco itself was good... next, I tried the spicy... not my favorite... I liked the fried pork taco a lot better. I then tried the rice... it seemed as though the rice was either overcooked or was left out without the covers... however, I did end up eating it all. I waited for the Gordito and Quesadilla... now, these took some time and I understood why... if you ordered Quesadilla and expected it to be the same as Taco Bell (like I did), you are wrong... it was deep fried (YUM) and stuffed with chicken, peppers and sprinkled with cheese... I'll admit though, it was very greasy on my fingers. I was unable to eat my Gordito because I was full... but my friend who had one, I could see the amount of grease on his plate... ^_____^ Overall, the service was okay, with one person working, expect some delays here and there... however the hostess was very nice. I noticed they had sandwiches, not sure what they were... their prices are on the low end, so if you want some homemade tacos, etc., swing by La Casita.
(3)Attossa C.
I found this place through google and tried it on a whim. Very good food, and it was fast. Everyone eating there at 3pm on a Wednesday was speaking Mexican Spanish (except me). The menu is simple and looks like it has been photocopied from a photocopy about 24 times. The prices are good, the inside is very simple. Did I mention the food is excellent. Next time I will try some desserts.
(5)Rick ..
One of my go to spots for tacos. Havent tried too much else on the menu but i think their tacos are some of the best deals around. Lots of filling and cheaper than most other comparable places in the area. They also have my favorite horchata.
(5)Terence W.
Came with a friend upon their review. Ordered the flautas. Great presentation, but over fried w/cold beans. Not offered a refill. Less than impressed. It was also very cold inside.
(3)Alex D.
Poor, slow service. Great guacamole homemade when ordered. But when bit into first bite of chicken burrito, chomped onto a piece of hard plastic the size of a pea. Owner/cool came out to inspect and was very nice. She checked to make sure my tooth was ok and asked what she could do. I said were not paying and we left with no issues from her. Won't be visiting again...
(1)Rusty D.
I have lived near this place for a couple years but only recently found out about it and tried it, and I must say I was very pleased! I liked the atmosphere; it appeared that most of the people working there were part of a family, and there were a lot of families there eating together, too. I had the enchiladas, which were excellent. I don't eat meat, so I was preparing to ask them to fill the enchiladas with "you know, beans, cheese, whatever," when the waitress suggested filling them with potatoes. That sounded intriguing so I went for it, and it turned out to be a great idea - the enchiladas were delicious! I also enjoyed the chips and salsas and side of guacamole. The chips themselves have some very tasty seasoning on them. The guacamole was delicious and the sauces, while not perhaps my absolute favorites, were quite tasty. I would get the same dish again, and there are also several other things I plan to try here.
(4)mariah c.
Nope, La Casita is not actually in a little house. It's in a strip mall... I'm not quite sure how to say "little strip mall," in Spanish, though, so that's OK. With the amount of strip malls on Washtenaw Ave., it's easy for places to get overlooked. Thank goodness for Yelp and for friends who like food -- otherwise, I don't know if I would have discovered this place. There aren't too many other places I'd regularly visit in this mall. For atmosphere, I'd have to say that I still think I like Taqueria la Fiesta a wee bit better. There's nothing wrong with the feeling at La Casita, though -- the server was very nice (and as a totally arbitrary side, I loved her hair). I had three tacos this past time, but 2 would have sufficed for a filling lunch -- both of the types of pork were flavorful, though I did find myself dabbing a bit of salsa on them, too. I'll most certainly be back to try more... I just have to remember to leave more room in my belly!
(4)Cara C.
One word- YUM. This place is legit. I'm not a tex mex fan, I like my taco with meat, onions, and cilantro and that's how they make em here! The guacamole is wonderful as well, and I'm a harsh guacamole critic.
(4)AloisSchicklgruber H.
Definitely the best Mexican I've had in... Michigan. (Disclaimer: I've only been here about 3+ years.) You don't feel more like you're in Mexico than when you're here. Even had Fox Deportes showing football (i.e. the real football, not the sham American version)---Man U vs some team called Galatasaray. Amazing. A shame it's hidden behind a Subway that is itself in the middle of nowhere (middle of A2 and Y to be precise). Another minus is how there are few (if any?) options for vegetarians. Despite what it say on this page, there IS free Wifi. A bit slow, but it's there.
(4)Stephen H.
tacos and enchiladas are very very athentic and good. Chips come with two types of salsas. Enchiladsas have a sorto farmers cheese I am not used to. Crunchy, not like you find on college campuses. Bright and cheerful inside, kinda festive but not overbearing. Service was good, food was hot and fast. I'll be back again and again
(4)Nicole S.
I love their chicken wet burrito. I really should try something different but fell in love at first bite....great flan also!
(4)Liz W.
I am officially the most depressing person on Yelp. We were back in the SJM area today as my dad was admitted today with a pulmonary embolism. Yes I am serious. James and I spent most of the day in the ER with him, waiting on the diagnosis and for him to actually get a room. Feeling a need for some comforting food after we got him settled for the night, in his lovely and adoring nurse and tech's hands, we headed for La Casita. Here I decided I would finally get some cabeza aka head. It is a softly fatty rich meat that definitely agreed with me. Great flavor and nice tender meatiness. I also needed some more of their stellar al pastor. The tacos are very filling indeed and made me very happy. I got some rice to round it out which James ended up eating most of. We also had some chips and salsas. This time instead of just the red seed filled spicy and the green tomatillo, they added a creamy fresh green as well (my fave of the three now). They also offered some mild to James which he took happily. He is a salsa wuss which always surprises me even after all these years. James got a chicken chimi with rice and beans and was happy as a clam. He was happy to see his fave Lime Jarritos and says everything gave him a west coast feel, I think he misses Cali and Nevada. They also have bottles of Sangria Senorial here and smaller bottles of a drink James says is popular as well called Chaparritas. He also says this place has Taqueria la Fiesta beat handily. I told him to write his own Yelp review already. Yummy and cheap. I really like it here.
(4)Rachel D.
Love this place for a cheap filing lunch!!!
(4)Allie Y.
This place is yummy! As a native Californian, there is always something comforting about finding a Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves good food. Here in Ann Arbor, I have been overall pretty impressed with food choices, but sometimes you just can't be satisfied with the burrito joints on campus. That's where places like La Casita come in! Located basically between Ann Arbor proper and Ypsi, you'd have to either yelp this place or have a handy dandy friend know about it to find the place. Good thing I have both! We decided to try this place to try a new thing instead of going for another time-again tested place, Haifa Falafel (which is also great, and I'll get to yelping about that one another time). First, I love that you walk in and it's truly a small family-owned type store, where the TV on the wall plays spanish channels featuring futbol and spanish soaps and the walls are decorated with futbol jerseys, which are available for purchase too! Then there's the chips and salsa, which were pretty tasty, and/or we were just really hungry. They've got some hefty salt but hey, you don't go for Mexican expecting bland unsalted food right? I got a taco and some sort of sandwich that I can't name at the moment, not a torta. The taco was great! I will be getting 2-3 tacos next time. Meats here are pretty tasty - altogether we sampled al pastor, carnitas and chorizo, all of which were fantastic. They have small gorditas here also which are really cute. My sandwich thing was fine also, I just wasn't really in the mood for the bread since I was craving more corn tortilla after my delectable taco. But my steak was good. I will be back again, whenever I remember to turn into this strip mall, which is a sort of random place to be. But for those tacos, it's worth it! Next time I'm going to try one of their chile rellenos too. For people seeking a more authentic Mexican place, you should try it out! GET A TACO.
(4)Wally S.
Good tacos once again. After much confusion as to what I ordered, I finally got my Carne Asada and my Al Pastor tacos. There were very good (and very hot) with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice on the top. I also tried a Papas Con Chorizo (Potatoes and Mexican Sausage) Quesadilla. The concept is great. A home made fried corn tortilla filled with the above plus crumbled cheese and lettuce. I guess I expected something a bit different. The potatoes and sausage was mostly potatoes and made for a very bland tasting quesadilla. Live and learn. Next time I'm getting Tortas which is a mexican sandwich. I almost had one with my order mix up. It looked real good loaded with Al Pastor. I still love La Casita. I hope to go deeper into the menu next time.
(4)Noelle W.
Hands down, best burritos in Ypsi/Ann Arbor Super friendly staff Inexpensive Delicious tacos Only thing I wouldn't get again are their tamales which didn't seem handmade A definite regular! Love this place!
(4)levramosis H.
Great tacos, amazing tortas, great prices. Nothing here to disappoint unless you aren't a fan of good home style mexican food or you care about ambience.
(4)Allen L.
Been back a half dozen times and I'm less excited about it. Everything seems to be a little too heavy with oil, cheese or sour cream. Even the tacos lately seem overly oily. They do have good horchata and if you're careful about what and how you order, it's A-OK.
(3)Colleen Z.
FINALLY, a fantastic Mexican restaurant. Authentic Mexican food just like my brother-in-law's mother makes for the family. I had the enchildas (beef and chicken) with verde sauce, hubby had the pork tamales and we also shared a chicken sope. We will be back....often.....with friends. Yelp, thank you. This restaurant was a huge score for us!
(4)Erin V.
This is the kind of place that might make some nervous. It's located in the rear of a small strip mall, behind the Subway. The interior is very different from all those other places that try too hard. It's very simple. Soccer jerseys hanging from the wall, slightly dingy tablecloths, duct tape around a few of the windows. But it adds to the charm of the restaurant. I have only been here once, but now that I know that it's here, it will become one of my haunts. The food is authentic, and the service was a bit slower, but I think we all need to learn to relax and take a moment to smell the roses. Or the aromas of the kitchen. The woman who took our order was very kind and assisted me in pronouncing some of the words. I unfortunately took French and have trouble saying simple words such as "pollo." I know, very sad! A tip: look to the walls for more menu options. The basics are in the laminated menu at the table, but there are signs with more menu items. I won't bias anyone by posting what I ordered, but everything my sister and I ordered was amazing! And if you have a friend who is afraid to try anything authentic, there is a kids menu on the back.
(5)Allie K.
I'd heard good things about this place on Yelp, so we stopped in for dinner yesterday. I'm a Taco Bell "Mexican" kind of girl, so this was a new experience for me. To kick it off, a recommendation for newbies: Read the signs around the restaurant. The staples are on the menu, but if you take a look around you'll see signs for all kinds of things you wouldn't know about otherwise. I got some spicy chicken chalupas (I think!) and they were like... pods... of corn, kind of thick, deep fried, with some kind of cheese (the kind that looks like feta but isn't) and lettuce and spicy chicken. The chicken was delicious! I made the mistake of ordering two because I thought they were like tacos at $2 a pop... but it was more than I could eat. My brother got some tacos (I think including boiled lamb?) and they were really tasty too. We got a ton of food and spent $14. I hope this review isn't too pathetic for all the Mexican elitists out there, but I enjoyed this place and I will definitely be back!
(4)Guillermo K.
For a solid Mexican meal with good prices and friendly service, head to La Casita.
(4)Brian W.
I actually do like the food, but when the lady would not give me extra hot sauce, i basically decided not to go anymore. Service is part of the food industry and if u can't spare a couple extra hot sauces on a ten dollar meal, that is horrid service
(2)Alicia L.
Since I hail from the Twin Cities, I'm used to neighborhoods of delicious, authentic Mexican food and huge Cinco de Mayo celebrations. I searched all over the Ann Arbor/Ypsi area to find some real Mexican food and couldn't find it until I discovered La Casita. At La Casita, EVERYTHING is great -- burritos, enchiladas, pambazos... Plus, you know that a restaurant serving beef tongue as a meat option has to be authentic Mexican! On top of the delicious food, you get Univision or soccer streaming on the big screen, and really great service. Mmmm...
(5)Saul W.
Yayy an actual dinky little taquiera near UMich! If you are from California, you know exactly what this place is- Mexican flag bunting, paletas in the freezer, horchata on tap (NOT Horchata Ole, thankfully). Plastic plates, greasy tacos, chips are covered in chili limon. You can buy cigarettes and phone cards, and pick up some latin pop music, too. With this place, and Pacific Beach Burritos across the street, I feel capable of living in Ann Arbor/Ypsi once again. Oh yeah, and the food's good.
(5)Lou S.
Traditional tacos are only $1.59 and they pile on the meat. I've been to all of the other taco places in Ann Arbor area. These are just as good. We ordered pork and steak which were good. This place is the best value compared to the other places. Lower prices and more meat. Also tried the quesadilla which was interesting and I would recommend you try them. I order pork with peppers and it needed sauce to kick up the flavor. If this was closer to my house i would eat here again. I would have rated a 5 but they don't fry the soft corn shells (which i like)
(4)Nino B.
This place is close to be hole in the wall. And i love it. No taco-bell-tex-mex-american-bs tacos. Real tacos baby. As I said before - the best tacos in A2. Bring yourself spanish speaking *cute girl so she can read and translate all those food specials on the wall for you. *Don't ever let her pay.
(5)Jess P.
Tortilla chips were kind of yucky. Weird seasoning on them. Not cooked long enough and the salsas were pretty hot but bland. Other than that, everything else rocked! The waitress accidentally brought me a chicharron prensado gordita instead of a quesadilla. But that was OK! Probably the best thing I had! Horchata was delicious. And a 32 oz. Styrofoam cup of it for $2.50? The price was so good I forgot I had a dairy allergy. My fiancé liked the carne asada tacos a lot, and I pretty much snatched his potato and chorizo quesadilla from him because it was so delicious (which i eagerly traded for my chicken sopes which was also yummy). Go there. You'll find something you like. The staff is nice and the price will bring us back quite often for more.
(4)Dave Y.
I'm from Los Angeles, so the selection of Mexican food around Ann Arbor really pales in comparison. This is one of the go-to places, about as good as it gets in this area. The food is cheap and great, and the place itself feels very authentic. Aside from their tacos, their style is very unique, at least very different from the kinds of Mexican food I'm used to in California and the handful of places in Mexico I've been to. For instance, their quesadilla is deep-fried and shaped almost like an empanada. The tacos are great, and everything I've had is very very good. They also have pozole, etc., although I've yet to try it. And sometimes there're people gathered there to watch soccer on Univision. This is a great place, and if you love Mexican food, a must stop.
(5)david W.
I think I just tried the wrong things, so I'm going to go back. Had the beef tounge and chicken flautas. Tender but a little on the bland side. Didn't really enjoy the style of corn tortillas though.
(3)N J.
I LOVE this place! I always get a lengua (tongue) taco, a cabeza de res (beef head) taco, and a barbacoa (steamed lamb). Never once have they failed to be tender and scrumptious. Their horchata is amazing- I recommend ordering the large. If you're not into horchata, the jamaica and pina agua frescas are delightful.
(5)Christopher F.
Another small mom and pop restaurant that hits the mark. The owners are from El Salvador and mix some of their local heritiage with Mexican cuisine, for instance the taco pastor has pineapples in it, it was pretty good. The quesadilla was nothing like I have seen before it was fried with cheese in the middle. There steak sope's are pretty good and their the only restaurant in Ann Arbor area that serves Sope's that I know of. Service was good, food was good, their problem might be there right across from Pacifico burriito, if you want more of the traditional California style Mexican burritio you should go to Pacifico, if you want something a little different you should go to La Casitia!!!
(3)Ryan S.
I used to refer to the previous restaurant here as "the Mexican Zingerman's" for their tortas, and it's good to see that some of the more... interesting torta selections remain on the menu. Definitely take your time exploring the dishes posted on the walls as well; you're sure to find some gems.
(4)Stuart D.
Hole in the wall? Not from the truest sense of a back-alley-without-a-sign type of a place, but rest assured that you are not walking into a commercialized cookie cutter establishment. There is plenty of authenticity here (not just with the food) and I appreciate it highly. The tacos are the doubled-up soft corn tortilla variety where the garnish is cilantro and onions. A twist of lemon is all you need to brighten it up. If you need salsa, I suggest you go green which is tasty and has a little kick. I hope however that you considered checking out the Tortas and Pambazos. These sandwiches are constructed on a delectable roll/bun. The former gets your filling topped with mayo, lettuce, onions, tomato, avocados, etc., while the latter is going to be dipped in a special red sauce that turns a sandwich into something amazing. Whatever your construction method (taco, torta, quesadilla, etc.) the fillings are all remarkably good. I've tried carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, and bistek and simply have never come across a sub-standard selection. My goal (and a small suggestion to you) at some point is to look at the back wall where the specials are written BEFORE I order. Somehow I always miss that and some of the specials they create sound really good. Coma bien mis amigos.
(5)S M.
I wish I had found this place sooner because it will now be my favorite Mexican restaurant in town until I can find one better! I wouldn't necessarily say that this place is a "hole in the wall." Having moved from Chicago, I define a true hole in the wall as a place that doesn't feature public restrooms (even for customers) and has an overall dingy appearance that makes you question whether you should be eating there in the first place. While dining here, we sampled the chips and salsa (complimentary), chicken enchiladas (red and green sauce), chicken tacos, and a chicken quesadilla. First off, the chips weren't piping fresh (fresh out of the fryer) but they weren't stale either. Between the two salsas, I thought the red one was a bit too smokey and had an odd consistency like syrup but the green one was good. The chicken tacos were really juicy, wrapped in lightly fried/grilled corn tortillas, and adorned with cilantro and onions. Really simple but very delicious. Did I also mention that they made that off the menu for us? Yes, all their tacos are beef or pork. Did I also mention that each taco was under $2? The chicken quesadilla was definitely different. The corn wrapper is deep fried and then folded over, resembling more of an empanda than what most people think of when they hear "quesadilla." It was also really tasty and interesting (it appeared to be stuffed w/ chicken, cheese, and lettuce). I probably wouldn't order these too often as I'd like to not have a heart attack in a decade, but it's definitely worth trying at least once. The chicken enchiladas can come with green or red sauce, either mild or spicy. Both sauces were tasty -- I thought the red was a bit sweeter and the green more acidic/vinegary. Both were enjoyable, smothered in what looked like chihuahua or other white cheese, and accompanied by rice and beans. The servings here are definitely larger than you will find at Fiesta (Taqueria Fiesta or Fiesta Mexicana) and probably elsewhere. For that reason and for being comparably priced and pretty authentic, I think I will be coming here more often AFTER I resume exercising. Unlike Fiesta, they are also open on Sundays, and they are also open until 10pm on Fri and Sat, which is nice for late-night eaters. For first time diners, the place is not visible from Washtenaw, but head towards Dunham, and you will see it diagonal to Temptations. All in all, a great discovery for my taste buds and wallet but an unfortunate discovery for my waistline. :)
(4)Matt G.
Definitely one of the best little authentic Mexican joints I've been to. When first walking in, you get that real authentic Mexican feel, and you feel out of place if you don't speak fluent Spanish, so you know it has to be good. Of course, like any good Mexican place, they have their own homemade salsa, which, although isn't the best I've ever had, they get bonus points for being original and homemade. I decided to order, on top of the complimentary chips and salsa, a couple of tacos and quesadillas. I loved the tacos because they had delicious meat (including chorizo), and they even put fresh cilantro in it (I love fresh cilantro on any Mexican dish). The quesadilla was fresh out of the fryer, and was an original idea that I've never had before. Their quesadilla was more like a giant fried empanada, rather than the traditional quesadilla. My only gripe, and reason why this wasn't a 5 star restaurant, is because although crunchy and loaded with goodies, it lacked flavor. I think that deep frying it and encasing the ingredients in a thick shell, it takes away the flavor of the meat and cheese inside; it was strangely bland. I think if I was to go back, I would throw some cilantro and salsa in it, which would make it muy sabroso! They even have dessert, which is homemade by a lady who drops it off regularly, definitely bonus points. Love is an ingredient added to a dish that you might not be able to taste, but you're able to feel, and I'm feeling it at La Casita.
(4)Carlos O.
The best around Ann Arbor and Ypsi! I love the tacos de lengua!
(5)Katie H.
This is the best place I've found in the area for authentic tacos. Cheap too at around $1.50 a piece. The lengua (beef tongue) is scrumptious and if you have never tried it you are doing yourself an injustice. Also good are the chorizo and al pastor. Served with the requisite onion/cilantro mixture and a wedge of lime. I would say the only thing I don't love are the salsa and chips. Salsa is very thin, but tasty I'll say that, and chips are very thick which I personally don't love but others do. Pay attention to the walls because 90% of the food offered in this place is listed on the walls and not on the menu you are given. I like a lot of the fish dishes there and they are listed on the walls. Other pluses are the glass bottle Coke, friendly staff, and the constant rotation of either Soccer (yay!) or soap operas:) I'm being serious when i say this...totally charming little place.
(4)Karen T.
Unexpectedly one of the best Mexican places in the Ypsi/Arbor area. Wonderful horchata!
(4)Minh N.
I'm from CA and let's just say, what ppl in MI describe as Mexican food, normally makes me want to throw up. However, this place is AWESOME. Very authentic, good and CHEAP Mexican food. Free chips and salsa when you sit down. The tacos are good. The quesadillas are well different, but a nice different.
(5)Xiao M.
Easily the best tacos in Ypsi/Ann Arbor area. This place is a hole in the wall taht is really easy to miss. Although I only found this place 3 months before I left the area, I managed to go enough times to work through most of the menu. Everything is tasty, but I still think the tacos are the best things on the menu. Tacos are $1.59 each. Free chips and salsa (green and red). Definitely well worth the short drive from AA.
(5)Tyler B.
This, my fellow yelpers, is the epitome of what Yelp is for - touting an establishment that other like minded people might never know about or otherwise ignore. I present to you - La Casita. I've been meaning to try this place out for some time now. Its tucked away in a shopping mall that I sometimes visit for comics (fun4all) and sporting goods (Dunhams) 'Hey!' I'd say to myself, 'That looks like on of those almost dingy mexican restaurants that has AMAZING food. You should go in there.' I owe myself an apology for not listening up sooner. La Casita is a little diner. Its specials are written in magic marker on poster board and tacked to the wall. But as long as you're not looking for upscale, romantic ambiance, this place delivers on every other level. Prices - fair. Service - friendly. Food. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. I got chips and salsa the minute I sat down. The salsa was spicy and delicious. I ordered the beef burrito served enchilada style and let me say, I've been looking for decent Mexican food in Ann Arbor for 15 years and this was the most enjoyable experience I've had yet. If you ever find yourself on Washtenaw between Golfside and Hewitt, make it a point to stop in. I'll be the guy on my lunch break in the corner.
(5)Susan D.
Update - Have recently had the tongue taco several times, and it is wonderful - so tender! Upgrading to four stars.
(4)shannon r.
YES! This is the Mexican restaurant I have been searching for, now we're talking. Short on ambiance but long on flavor and value. La Casita is tucked back in one of the saddest little strip malls off of Washtenaw Ave in Ypsi. I had the three flautas plate for $6.99 and ended up taking a third of it home with me, I was too full to finish. It came with three flaky and crispy flautas (fried rolled tacos) filled with chicken and topped with lettuce, queso and some kind of delicious white sauce (sour cream?). A hearty side of beans (with more crumble queso) and rice with a scoop each of salsa, guac and sourcream rounded out the plate. A large flat screen on the wall broadcasts Spanish-language music videos and my boyfriend was oddly transfixed by it the entire time. Our waitress brought the check to the table and we did a double take as we looked at the total: $96.33. Huh? There was obviously some kind of egregious accounting mistake made when tallying up our check. When we pointed it out she didn't act surprised or embarassed, simply rang us up for the more appropriate sum of $21. Maybe they expect people will just walk up with the credit card without checking the bill? Go to La Casita, the food is a good value and very tasty, just make sure to double check your receipt.
(5)Mei O.
I think we need to come back and try the tacos. But, we were hungry and not sure where to go, so we thought "Let's give La Casita a try." It was good, but sadly, I'm still left pining for a good taqueria burrito. They have lots of authentic dishes, and I love their little bakery/Mexican ice cream bar selection. The horchata was tasty, but a little heavy on the cinnamon. Nothing really stood out for me though.
(3)Paul H.
Awesome tacos.
(5)Chiwei L.
Ok, i've got to be the downer on this one. This is the second time i've been to this place just to see if had improved... I really really really wanted to like this place. Cutish hole in the wall: check. Mexican Staff and mexican clientele: check. Menu written in marker needing translation: check!!! Unfortunately, the food doesn't seem to stack up. Lets start with the slightly stale chips with the somewhat bland salsa. The salsa actually has a strange creamy texture that somewhat puts me off. Not bright, not flavorful, not spicy, just plain forgettable. Al Pastor and Canritas Tacos: Well, not bad, but still seemed to be a bit flat. The Tortillas were a also a bit off in texture. Quesadillas was interesting, but was deep fried. Finally the Chili Relleno was just plain disappointing. Smothered in cheese and a mystery "orange colored" sauce, it was sloppy in execution and flavors. I had to pour on the hot sauce just to get it down. Overall not a satisfied camper, i'll stick to Mi Pueblo in Detroit, La Fiesta or Taqueria La Loma down the street.
(2)Mia G.
I couldn't disagree more with the reviews of this place. This is NOT authentic Mexican food!! Trust me on this, I am a Mexican American that grew up eating delicious authentic Mexican food all of my life! Now that I moved to Michigan I am really having a hard time finding a decent Mexican restaurant that can live up to my high expectations. If you haven't had real delicious authentic Mexican food, then I can understand why you would think La Casita is good. Everything I tried was just so bland! I ordered their red sauce enchiladas because I was craving some cheesy goodness and what I got was completely off the mark. Not only was the cheese scarce but the rolled up tortillas were soggy and flaky. The picadillo (ground beef) inside the tortilla was dry and flavorless and the "orange" sauce was very mysterious. The side of rice lacked in color and taste and forget about the tortilla chips that were stale. I tried to cover up my meal with salsa to help with flavor but that didn't work because even the salsa was bad and it's very difficult to mess that up! In your defense, I have not tried their tacos at this point. Although the picture does look appealling, I am not sold on the flavor. If you REALLY want authentic delicious Mexican food I suggest you come on over to my "casita!" lol
(2)Lenny K.
Had a GREAT pozole here last weekend! I wonder if we could bring our own cerveza since they don't sell liquor? Tomorrow, Cinco de Mayo?
(3)Kate B.
4/2009 Visited with my husband this past weekend - we are hooked! We tried the Al Pastor, Chorizo, and Carnitas tacos, as well as two quesodillas (pork and chicken). Omg, was it good. Very inexpensive: Tacos are around $1.45 each and the very filling quesadillas were $1.95. We ordered way too much food, so took the rest home for a midnite-snack. Absolutely try the quesadillas: These are not the limp old flour-tortilla/gobs of cheese staples of every TGI Fridays...these are the real-deal with corn/masa dough deep fried and crisp. Filling was savory roasted pork and shredded chicken. One thing, get them without the lettuce, it just doesn't taste quite right...and spoon on some hot salsa. It's a little hard to find, it's behind the Huckleberry party-store on Washtenaw in the shopping plaza. There's lots of parking available. The restaurant itself is a divey/hole-in-the-wall but it's clean and the staff are friendly.
(3)Sarah R.
I wanted to check out a couple of the Mexican restaurants in the area that I'd never been to. First, I went to Zorro's and just looked at the menu. I thought it was kind of silly that they charged $7 for two cheese quesadillas when I can make them at home for about a buck. I decided to check out La Casita, and there, you can get two cheese quesadillas for $3.75- much closer to what I'd expect. You must be paying for the ambiance at Zorro's. True, La Casita isn't much to look at. It's a clean and bright but stripped-down little diner. The walls are brightly painted, and hand-drawn signs in marker advertise specials. It's around the corner of a strip mall, and it's not posh dining, but they give you good quality food and a lot of it for good prices. Also, the food is actually quite elegantly plated. For instance, I got the Three Flautas meal, and it was served with beans and rice on the side. Also on the side was a leaf of lettuce that had a dollop of green guacamole, a dollop of red pico de gallo, and a strip of sour cream down the middle, so it looked like a little Mexican flag. My potato flautas were fantastic, crispy and covered with lettuce and a sprinkle of cheese. The beans and the guacamole were flavorful, and the pico de gallo was insanely delicious- some of the best I've had anywhere. Service was friendly and quick, too. My husband was somewhat less impressed with his cheese gordita. He said it was good but he thought meat eaters would probably enjoy them better. With just cheese, he said, it seemed to lack some substance.
(4)Ivan Z.
Superb tacos with a vast array of fillings, a continually rotating specials board, a seemingly boundless menu of entrees and a la carte items, and excellent service makes this place a winner. Last time I was here we had an older woman as our server. She was something like our surrogate Mexican grandmother: very patient with us gringos while we asked all sorts of ridiculous questions about the food and wavered indecisively behind the menu. When we left we took one uneaten quesadilla home with us. She wrapped it up and placed it in the box - over-the-top service for a strip-mall restaurant and near-McDonald's prices. Unfortunately, I don't think I can speak authoritatively about the food. The menu seems huge, given the number of fillings and combinations for each item. The barbacoa is excellent - soft, chewy and flavorful. The carnitas are great too - like eating crumbled bacon. And who can envision anything better than that? La Casita is great.
(4)Nathan T.
Best Tacos near Ann Arbor. I am from Southern California and the tacos are almost comparable to the tacos out west.
(4)Kristina B.
I had never heard of this place before. My coworker had to go to the Secretary of State office in the neighboring center, and called me up to come meet for lunch. I am from southern California. This place took me back to every taqueria I used to love back home. There was a real authentic feel everything. I had two really large and satisfying quesadillas - one cheese and one potato. Masa doughy and deep fried, they were absolutely delicious. They were also only $3.71 together, KACHING! I will agree with the other reviewer, the mild salsa was quite bland and the spicy salsa wasn't that flavorful. Combining the two with a bit of hot sauce helped. Honestly, I don't care about the salsa, it is superfluous to the magnificence of those quesadillas!
(4)B N.
YUM. I had the Al Pastor taco, along with some chips, and I was fully satisfied. Very authentic Mexican fare, and very nice staff. I can't wait to continue to try their other dishes.
(5)Will M.
Absolutley love this restraunt. You cant beat the prices, i think its more expensive to go to the taco bell across the street actually. Real authentic mexican, with realy nice staff and managament. I love the flautus, quesadias, and the tacos. They have authentic mexican sodas, candy, and ice cream. If your in the mood for mexican in the area you have to give this place a try.
(5)Jeromy H.
Great tacos. Best authentic mexican I've found in Ypsilanti.
(4)Zach S.
My god. This is the Mexican restaurant I have been searching for ever since I moved to Ann Arbor five years ago. It's a true hole-in-the-wall taqueria that brings it a thousand times over with the food. They have everything you could want to order, mostly a la carte and all of it cheap. There are close to a dozen different meats to choose from - try to find another Mexican restaurant in Washtenaw County that boasts that. Tonight I ordered a chimichanga with al pastor (roasted marinated pork) and it was divine. The meat was flavorful, slightly spicy, and perfectly cooked. As another reviewer mentioned, the plating was shockingly elegant. The chimi was perfectly covered with a mild enchilada style sauce, a little boat of lettuce with pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh guacamole as a garnish, all extremely fresh and as good as any I've had, anywhere. The beans were flavorful and garnished with a little bit of crumbled cheese. The rice was, well, rice. For $8, it was an incredible value. The salsas they served with chips right after I walked in were also delicious, although the chips tasted a little past their prime, which is my sole complaint about the meal and something that I can't imagine is the norm. The service was quick, friendly, and no-nonsense. I will post further details about other items on the menu after I go back tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that, and every day until I leave Ann Arbor.
(5)Bill B.
In my opinion, this is by far the best Mexican restaurant in the area. We've just recently discovered and have been happily trying everything on the menu. For a sit down place with this good of food (most under $10) it is dirt cheap. Don't forget to try their soups and to look on the walls for other menu items that are in Spanish. There are many more items on wall, but you will need something/someone/someway to translate if you don't speak Spanish.
(4)Chris C.
As a San Diego native, I have high standards for inexpensive mexican food. La Casita passed the test. The carne asada was great, not too greasy, and the burrito I had only contained the carne asada and pico de gallo (no lettuce, cheese, or anything else). The burrito was served wet, which I wasn't expecting but still enjoyed. Normally I don't eat desserts, but I couldn't resist the tres leches cake. It was moist and creamy as it should be. I'll be coming back here.
(5)Mr. T.
I'm giving them a provisional three-star review, though I've only been once. I'll update if my opinion changes. I tried La Casita recently for lunch. It was moderately busy, and the server seemed to be the only person working out front. That said, she was doing a pretty decent job of keeping up with her myriad responsibilities -- my only complaint is that she took a bit longer than I'd like to finally come take my order, but she was pretty busy that whole time. I had tacos al pastor and a "spicy" chicken quesadilla (tinga). Everything was good -- tasty and visually appealing -- but also a bit too bland. I hope it was just a matter of someone in the kitchen being a tad shy with the spices -- I'll go back sometime soon and see if the food is better seasoned on my return visit. I should note that the quesadilla was intriguing -- not the usual soft, gooey thing that Americans have grown accustomed to, but a tortilla that's been crisped into a kind of clamshell embrace of its ingredients. I much prefer this style. There's not a lot of seating here, and the small lunch crowd filled up most of the tables pretty quickly. Prices are low. I will return when I can, but I'm not often on that side of town.
(3)TJ H.
I'm tempted to give this place 5 stars but you have to aspire to something. Value is phenomenal. Food is so tasty. I really don't know what is authentic Mexican food and what isn't. I've had the quesadillas, gorditos, and tacos. The tacos were very good served with lime and cilantro on corn tortillas. The gordito was ok. The quesadilla was absolute heaven. I'm going back to getting two next time. Its just a pain to get there with all the construction right now. I've never had a quesadilla like that before. It was more like a soft taco than the usual pressed grilled cheese variety. I'm not really sure what made it so good but it was cheesy and doughy and spectacular. If I can get my gut to disappear I may even spring for a soccer jersey.
(4)Kristin S.
good but not great. Cheap.
(2)Erin G.
Like the previous reviewer, I'd been meaning to try La Casita as well, and it took me forever. Well I finally did, and I was pleased with the results. It's a tiny little place, very bare, with Univision on a big flat-screen (which they promptly changed to an American network when we entered. No soap operas for us...) They have Jarritos, which is my favorite soda...Mexican soda in all flavors...mandarin, strawberry, grape, lime, etc. My guy got the flautas with ground beef, I tried them and thought they were pretty greasy, but hey, it is deep-fried. I thought the oil tasted old, but he didn't think so. They were ok, but I don't think I could eat all of them just because of the grease. They came with rice and beans. Rice was pretty standard, as were the beans. I got the tacos al pastor, which were delicous. The pork was seasoned well and they were served with lots of onions and cilantro---yummy! We also ordered a sandwhich-type thing, I can't remember the name. I had never heard of it before. It was on this interesting bread, it had potatoes and chorizo and lettuce on it, and it was fried I believe. Very greasy, but this was delicious. It was very big too. All in all, we were stuffed when we left, the food was pretty good, the waitress was very nice, and it was $17 for all that food and a soda. Which was pretty impressive. If you go, bring some cash for a tip. We never carry cash and they don't have a tip function on their credit card machine, so we had to stiff the waitress and I felt really really bad.
(4)J O.
The chips are a little weird but everything else is excellent. Get the barbacoa tacos or comsume!
(4)Noelle W.
Hands down, best burritos in Ypsi/Ann Arbor Super friendly staff Inexpensive Delicious tacos Only thing I wouldn't get again are their tamales which didn't seem handmade A definite regular! Love this place!
(4)levramosis H.
Great tacos, amazing tortas, great prices. Nothing here to disappoint unless you aren't a fan of good home style mexican food or you care about ambience.
(4)Allen L.
Been back a half dozen times and I'm less excited about it. Everything seems to be a little too heavy with oil, cheese or sour cream. Even the tacos lately seem overly oily. They do have good horchata and if you're careful about what and how you order, it's A-OK.
(3)Colleen Z.
FINALLY, a fantastic Mexican restaurant. Authentic Mexican food just like my brother-in-law's mother makes for the family. I had the enchildas (beef and chicken) with verde sauce, hubby had the pork tamales and we also shared a chicken sope. We will be back....often.....with friends. Yelp, thank you. This restaurant was a huge score for us!
(4)TJ H.
I'm tempted to give this place 5 stars but you have to aspire to something. Value is phenomenal. Food is so tasty. I really don't know what is authentic Mexican food and what isn't. I've had the quesadillas, gorditos, and tacos. The tacos were very good served with lime and cilantro on corn tortillas. The gordito was ok. The quesadilla was absolute heaven. I'm going back to getting two next time. Its just a pain to get there with all the construction right now. I've never had a quesadilla like that before. It was more like a soft taco than the usual pressed grilled cheese variety. I'm not really sure what made it so good but it was cheesy and doughy and spectacular. If I can get my gut to disappear I may even spring for a soccer jersey.
(4)Kristin S.
good but not great. Cheap.
(2)Erin G.
Like the previous reviewer, I'd been meaning to try La Casita as well, and it took me forever. Well I finally did, and I was pleased with the results. It's a tiny little place, very bare, with Univision on a big flat-screen (which they promptly changed to an American network when we entered. No soap operas for us...) They have Jarritos, which is my favorite soda...Mexican soda in all flavors...mandarin, strawberry, grape, lime, etc. My guy got the flautas with ground beef, I tried them and thought they were pretty greasy, but hey, it is deep-fried. I thought the oil tasted old, but he didn't think so. They were ok, but I don't think I could eat all of them just because of the grease. They came with rice and beans. Rice was pretty standard, as were the beans. I got the tacos al pastor, which were delicous. The pork was seasoned well and they were served with lots of onions and cilantro---yummy! We also ordered a sandwhich-type thing, I can't remember the name. I had never heard of it before. It was on this interesting bread, it had potatoes and chorizo and lettuce on it, and it was fried I believe. Very greasy, but this was delicious. It was very big too. All in all, we were stuffed when we left, the food was pretty good, the waitress was very nice, and it was $17 for all that food and a soda. Which was pretty impressive. If you go, bring some cash for a tip. We never carry cash and they don't have a tip function on their credit card machine, so we had to stiff the waitress and I felt really really bad.
(4)J O.
The chips are a little weird but everything else is excellent. Get the barbacoa tacos or comsume!
(4)Ethan L.
La Casita has become our go to take out Mexican place. I've enjoyed each different kind of taco I've ordered and my vegetarian wife likes the potato flautas. La Casita isn't fancy but it isn't dirty either. I've found every person I've dealt with there to be nice and friendly. TL;DR no frills but clean, vegetarian options, good tacos and good value.
(5)W. John R.
Tried La Casita this week based exclusively on Yelp reviews, and it was great. One of my crucial signs of a good Mexican restaurant is that they serve horchata, and La Casita served a large, delicious cup full. I was happy before my food even arrived. I had a Chorizo taco and a Pastor Torta. The taco was full of spicy chorizo and was absolutely delicious. The pastor, honestly, was a bit dry and although the cheese and avocado helped improve the texture of the sandwich, overall it isn't something I would order again. My companion is extremely picky when it comes to Mexican rice and refried beans - she leaves them on the table at most places - but gushed about how good they were at La Casita, which is a great sign. Note that the dinner combos, in the $9-11 range, are a bit higher priced than some other places in the area, but the quality of the food made it well worth it.
(4)Michael L.
Good variety of Mexican food that Americans will recognize along with some more exotic or lesser known dishes. Service was notably fast, our food was prepared well and tasted quite good. If you're looking for a quick, casual, and inexpensive Mexican dining experience this place is perfect. Tacos are only $1.69 so go nuts.
(4)Elizabeth K.
Ordered the Pastor tacos (roasted pork) with Mexican rice as a side. The employee that rung me up was extremely nice ( I didn't catch his name), my order was made in under 5 minutes and was extremely flavorful and delicious. Definitely is now my go to for Taco Tuesday!
(5)Suzy B.
We started frequenting here in search of delicious sorta options. This place looks kind of sketchy inside but simple is good in this case. Food is exceptional! We love to eat in or do take out since everything is ready very quickly!
(5)Patricia G.
La comida es riquÃsima, me encanta los sopes, huaraches, tacos al pastor todo es delicioso... lamentablemente el servicio lo hecha a perder todo, la mesera del turnó matutino, es grosera y lenta, ya varias ocasiones que no nos atiende y olvida las bebidas, es notorio que no le caemos bien, es un lugar muy lindo pero serÃa perfecto si tuvieran un mejor servicio al cliente. Gracias!
(3)Kevin T.
I love La Casita's. I am in Guadalajara and much of Jalisco quite often, so when I am back in Michigan, I always enjoy stopping in for the delicious, well prepared fare. The daily specials & the regular menu items are off the hook. Outstanding. And all served up with warm, friendly service. La Casita Owners: please, please open a location over in Dexter! Your cuisine along with cold beer on the menu will be like you striking a gold mine. Dexter will finally have great Mexican food and in return, you'll be very $ucce$$ful.
(5)Christina C.
This place is magic. That is all I have to say. I love the flautas. They are perfectly crunchy with the right amount of potato filling. Also, they are only $7.99 for a meal that is large enough to feed you for two days. They give complimentary chips and salsa, which is awesome. Try the horchata!
(5)Chris L.
One of, if not my favorite Mexican places in Washtenaw county. I once went to a Mexican place in Philly that gave you free margaritas under the table. This place is almost as good. I've only had a handful of the menu items here but I can say pretty confidently that everything here is really tasty. The enchilada entree is really dope because you can get whatever fillings you want in all three enchiladas. They also got fish tacos which are not bad. All the other tacos are chronic. The people that work there are also pretty nice. Enrique (I think that's his name) is a great man. Just a good place to hang out with your friends and eat lot of tacos. Summary: Not only good tacos, but a great place to hang with friends. Oh and the decors kind of fucked up so if you care about that bullshit then go to isalita in ann arbor and spend your savings on a paltry bowl of rice and beans.
(4)Gopal K.
This place is a tiny hole-in-the-wall right across from Temptations/Nirmal Indian restaurant (and SVS Vision) in that small strip mall. Don't judge it by it's cover though --- I'm telling you the food here is amazing! ... and for a price that can't be beaten! Okay, so I've only gone here once (yesterday) and tried out their tacos (Tinga and Pollo - both versions of shredded chicken) and a quesadilla. The food was mouth-wateringly yummy, with the tacos priced at under $2 each. The portions were plentiful and the taste very flavorful. The tacos had a very fresh taste to them with the onions and cilantro layered on top and I also asked for extra cut jalapenos to be added, which made it nicely spicy! I also tried their Tres Leches cake for dessert and that was pure heaven and sin at the same time :) They have a ton of additional items on their menu, all of which are begging to be tried out! Needless to say, I'LL BE BACK!
(5)Paranj P.
Only paid $10 for all these food. Small place, fresh food, awesome test and great value. Not much I can say. As always you have to try it to believe it. #happyeating
(4)Lee R.
Favorite Mexican in town for the perfect price. The green enchiladas with the al pastor border on perfection and the sopes are a perfect, cheap,and amazing snack. Plus, this is the only place I know of in town who makes elote, the mexican corn, and it is spectacular (though ask for extra napkins).
(5)Nicole P.
My husband and I are Mexican food junkies and were excited to try this place based on its amazing reviews. Boy were we disappointed! The steak was very dry, the pork was gamey and the spicy chicken was not spicy at all and had a weird taste. The corn shells were bad. The rice was bland. The waitress was completely unfriendly and seemed to be annoyed that we were even there. The salsa was okay at best- definitely not even close to being craveable. The place was very small and dirty. On the positive side, the guacamole was good and saved the day. The conclusion- Would never ever recommend this place to anyone or ever go back again.
(2)David K.
I stopped by last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. The food, from what I can tell, is mexican, not tex-mex. I got a quesadilla and two gorditas. The quesadilla was fried corn flour folded over and stuffed with steak, lettuce, and cheese. The gorditas were exactly the same, except the presentation was different (kinda like a round hot pocket in shape, except fried corn flour etc) - one was 'spicy' chicken and the other was steak. The steak dishes were really good, but I didn't care for the taste of the spicy chicken. I don't remember it being particularly spicy either, for what it's worth. If you're a soda person like me, it's all bottles, so no refills or anything. The server/cashier was nice and attentive. The prices are GREAT. Each item I ordered was $2.00 or $2.25 (my diet coke was $1.75ish). Free chips and salsa, as you probably imagine. They take cash, mastercard, or visa. I look forward to going back again and trying other things on the menu.
(4)John D.
I got the tacos. Carne asata was very dry, al pastor was not very flavorful. I think overall this place is authentic but less flavorful.
(3)Arcelia G.
Probably the best Mexican food in Ann Arbor. This place is great if you're looking for traditional Mexico City food (sopes, gorditas, fried quesadillas, pambazos). I'm however not a huge fan of the tacos. The food is also very affordable.
(4)Chelsea W.
Tried this place out for lunch today on some coworkers recommendation. It was good!!! I got the al pastor, carne asada, and pollo tacos. Very authentic! Plenty of meat in these tacos. The service was a little slow. We waited awhile before getting our orders taken. I've been to TMAZ on Packard and this is very similar. Prices and food quality about the same. The staff here was definitely more friendly than at TMAZ. Despite the wait, I would definitely come here again. Maybe not for a lunch when on a time crunch but definitely on the weekend or for dinner!
(4)Lylian D.
I love this place for tacos and their massive burritos. Every order comes with chips and salsa, but I wish they had a thicker salsa for the chips. The salsa is good, but it's more for the tacos. I also wish that they would give more salsa or maybe bottle them and put them at every table when guests arrive like how Tmaz does it. They will always give you extra if you ask, but it comes in this tiny tiny bowl and you feel greedy constantly asking for more. On to the good stuff: I always get their beef tongue, asada, and carnita tacos. I love their wet burritos: comes with your choice of meat; I usually get asada or beef tongue, rice, and beans, which are all delicious. It seems like some people do get bothered by the basically half-naked girl who works here, but I really don't care. She's a pretty girl & guys/girls will stare no matter what. It's just the loud talking that annoys me. But hey, it's a small & informal taqueria, that's apart of the charm right?! I use to prefer La Casita over Tmaz (when they first opened), and would often drag the Bo here. Nowadays I have to compromise and go to Tmaz more often because the Bo would rather eat at Tmaz since he believes that the tacos are better at there, specifically that the beef tongue is more tender. Tmaz has worked out the kinks and I would have to concede and agree that Tmaz's tacos taste slightly better. I fell in love with Tmaz's beef soup and tamales, so it's hard to make a good case to go to La Casita now. I'll still stop by for their burritos though!
(4)Jenny K.
Eating lunch here is the best post-gym workout treat. This isn't just Ann Arbor good, but everything I've gotten here is super awesomely delicious. And this is coming from someone who's moved here most recently from Cali and grew up in Hawaii eating tacos in her family's Mexican restaurant, for reals. That Cubana torta is like something out of a dream. Deconstructed: it starts with a spread of refried beans, a slice of thinly breaded chicken, a slice of ham, a sliced hot dog (yes!), a fried egg, avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, and mayonnaise on a buttery toasted bun. And it's huge! Also a great antidote to a hangover or serious "breakfast for dinner" cravings. Their tacos are good and simple, traditional style, but I really love their "crispy" tacos. You need to tell them, or they'll default to the healthier version of the grilled plain corn tortilla with cilantro. The enchiladas are also solid, get the lunch ($6.99) or dinner ($7.99) plate, they're fantastic as leftovers with a fried egg in the morning at home. Their refried beans are amazing, super creamy I can almost taste the fat flavor drippings. And they always hook you up with a lot of freshly fried chips and salsa (the mild is so addicting, I think they sweeten it.). And treat yourself to a coconut popsicle on the way out because life is always sunnier when you have desert!
(5)Michael P.
I'm still a big fan of La Casita, but La Torre Taqueria down the street has supplanted them in the taco department. La Torre is more or less exclusively tacos, tamales, and tortas though, so for gorditas, pambazos, flautas, and a wide array of specials, La Casita is still the place to be.
(5)Sylvonna R.
OH.MY.GOODNESS. I am in LOVE with La Casita! This is, hands down, the most authentic Mexican food I've ever had (outside of Mexico, that is). A friend and I decided to try this, on a whim, and BOY am I glad we did! First sign this place was the real deal: every seat was taken and there was a line at the cash register as we walked in. I couldn't wait to check out the menu! The food here is DELICIOUS (though delicious is a complete understatement). The menu offers everything you could ask for and the food is literally so authentic I thought I was back in Mexico. I can't wait to go back and try everything they offer. Their chips and salsa are the best I've ever had and I've been dreaming about their horchata, literally craving another sip of that dreamy goodness. With staff that's incredibly friendly and food that is absolutely delicious (and you get all this for very reasonable prices) how could you not want to try La Casita? I guarantee your stomach will thank you! This is my new favorite place and I can guarantee I will be coming back for a LOT more!
(5)Amanda H.
This place really could get 5 stars. What is dropping it down so much? I have been there on three separate occasions in which my food was moldy or completely beyond the expiration date. The first time was spoiled tres leches cake. The next visit I got a torta that had moldy cheese. The third time the chips they served as the appetizer were moldy tortillas that were them deep fried. You could clearly see the mold spots on them. So, while this place is truly authentic and has a potentially great selection, I simply cannot justify getting moldy or spoiled food--three different times, three different things. They really need to be more careful!,
(1)Eva S.
A friend took me here to grab dinner and this is THE most legitimate place for great Mexican food. According to my buddy, who's tried all the Mexican offered in this area, La Casita has "the best tacos in the area!" They serve their tacos with two warm, corn tortillas and everything is fresh, authentic and decently priced. Score. La tripa (tripe), la lengua (tongue) and the chorizo tacos are worth trying. A word about the tripe... It was deliciously fried, crispy to the right amount and full of flavor. The la tripa taco was definitely my favorite. About three tacos will fill you up pretty well. The flautas are amazing too. The front of the restaurant is kind of hidden on the side of a building, so it's a spot that you normally wouldn't just stumble upon. That's when you know people who eat here really know they are getting great Mexican food. After eating here I feel like I'm in on some kind of best-kept secret. Perfecto.
(4)Pete P.
I'm no expert with authentic Mexican food but I know what I like. La Casita is delicious, filling, & inexpensive. I really like their tacos (esp. carne asada) and the quesadillas, which are different but very tasty. I've had the pombazas as well. I've never had a bad meal here and have never spent over 10 bucks. The service is good, especially if you like cute girls!!! ;) The chips and salsa (served gratis) are fresh and good. I've been here a number of times and have yet to be disappointed.
(5)Marie H.
Over all i am giving them 3 stars. I have ordered from here about a dozen times. & I will again. The dinners are a little pricey but the food is good. Single taco prices are good. $25 will get you meals and drinks for two. This is a small place more aimed at take out. I really am only leaving three stares because I dont prefer my food served with boobs, stomach and belly rings in my face. I could go to hooters for that.
(3)Rena S.
I am in LOVE with La Casita, I eat here multiple times a week! I lived in Tijuana, Mexico last year and since I moved to Ypsi I have been searching for a good authentic Mexican restaurant. I finally found it here! I love their chicken flautas! The food and the ambiance alike make me feel like I am back in Mexico! Their quesadillas are also amazing, and they are only $1.75! The tres leches cake is amazing, the best I have had in the states! My only negative is one waitress is constantly in skimpy clothing, my first encounter with her was her in tied back white beater showing her entire stomach and her black bra. Not the atmosphere I think they are going for. But I still love the food, and she was very polite so o well!
(5)Mevei I.
Great food, great customer service and reasonable prices. They offer so many more options than what's listed on the menu so make sure to ask if you have a specific dish in mind!! We will keep coming back!
(5)Evie B.
I can't believe i'm going to say this, BUT LC blew Lupitas out of the water with their "traditional" mexican tacos! They were sooooo frackin good! I tried the exact same flavors that I tried at Lupes (Al pastor, lengua, beef cheek) and they surpassed my expectation. They were served steaming hot. For $1.59 totally good price for portion. Nice size corn tortillas and cooked to perfection. The meat in each of the tacos was flavorful, moist, perfect texture and cut. NO FAT. I was in heaven and devoured these delectable treats quickly and easily! We ordered a side of beans and albeit flavorful, they were served lukewarm. Next time, I would return them to be heated. Hubs ordered a quesadilla (thinking american version) and was delightfully surprised when a beautiful empanada type treat appeared before him. The picadillo was very flavorful (cumin, coriander, cinnamon...) The tortilla shell was crisp and crunchy. YUM! The salsas (small hot red, small green and large bowl of traditional) were okay. They had flavor, but I wish the traditional had some additional heat to it. The chips were nice and crunchy with the right amount of salt. THe place is small. Service was done with a smile, but they weren't really chit chatty and didn't appreciate my humor (or what I perceive to be my humor..lol) I thought it was odd that the waitress asked if my husband and I wanted to split our bill or one bill. Did she think we were married to other people and there on a tryst? (we have wedding bands) Did she think hubs was my dad? (he is 15 years older and has grayed quite a bit...LOL) NO DOUBT we will return!
(5)Lakshmi R.
I had chicken quesdilla at this place. It's good. I am not a fan of Mexican food but I love food in some Mexican places. This is just a small place and all you can see the regular mexican food nothing special in menu. But food is good and ambiance is OK.
(3)Patrick T.
Reasonably good Mexican food without having to drive to Detroit. The horchata and aquafrescas are nice.
(3)Sam G.
Take-Out Taco Review Total Average Taco Score: 7.33 (low 5 high 9) type: small restaurant price: $1.50 each 8 - fairly bare bones but nice - service was phenomenally friendly, mexican television show playing, some posters and soccer jersey's on the wall 7.5 - salsa: green (red is pepper and hot, green is tomatillo-forward and mild-medium) 8 - carne asada (steak): lean, flavorful, fairly small pieces 9 - pollo (chicken): shredded, really tender and flavorful though perhaps a little more gringo? Still, I love it unabashedly. 5 - al pastor (pork): too sweet (partner found pineapple in it?) and too ground - not my steez --------------- Notes for list: - I go in blind - no reviews no nothin' - just me and my own palate - going geographically from one side of the strip to the other - ranked out of 10: 10 being the best street tacos from Mexico (in small towns and big cities) - short and to the point: sorry, no fancy artful writing - a girl's gotta plow through these puppies!
(4)Krista A.
As a newbie to the city, I've been looking for a good Mexican place to be a regular at. I found La Casita on Yelp, and decided to try it. The food was delicious, especially for the price. Our service was very slow, but very friendly. We were able to score a seat outside, which was nice with the pleasant summer weather. I tried a pork taco and a chicken quesadilla on a flour tortilla. The taco was good, but a bit dry so I squeezed a lime wedge on it and added some salsa. Yum! The quesadilla was delicious, with melted queso fresco all over. I also added some lime and salsa to the dish, and it was so juicy and flavorful. My boyfriend tried a chorizo taco, a lamb taco, and a chorizo and potato quesadilla. The quesadilla was his favorite part. I got a small horchata to take with me, and it was a perfect dessert...and at such a cheap price. I definitely recommend this place for a delicious and inexpensive lunch!
(4)Juan C.
When we first arrived, I was a little skeptical about this place, as it doesn't have best appearance. But I saw it had good reviews so I figured it was worth trying out. And it was! I had a chicken chimichanga that tasted quite fresh, and was also affordable. I also feel like the food taste more authentic compared to large and/or chain "Mexican" restaurants. It helps that this is a small business that seems to be family run as well. The service can be a little slow with only one waitress for the entire restaurant, but it is well worth the wait!
(4)Larry V.
I go here once a month with my work crew. Sometimes we have taken a dozen of us or more for a birthday or going away celebration. They have always been helpful with letting us pull the tables together for our crew. The food is excellent, the service is great. Will continue to be one of our regular stops.
(4)Yuanyuan Z.
Great tacos!!! Cheap and awesome!
(5)Meeta B.
Now, I will say everyone has talked about the pombazos, the tortas, the tacos, the quesadillas...and the cheap prices, but I'm going to bring one more piece in. The soup. I know right? Soup at a Mexican restaurant??! Well, I still wasn't feeling well and I wanted some pozole. Even if it meant driving to La Casita and getting it to go. I was NOT disappointed. They wrapped everything separately from the broth- which was full of huge chunks of pork and littered with hominy. The soup was legit. I had been wanting some pozole for a few days now and I'm glad that La Casita filled that need. The staff are always friendly and the food, delicious. I also got the enchiladas, although I should've just gotten a side of beans and rice, since that's what I really wanted. The enchiladas were really good. I got the pollo enchiladas with the salsa verde. Given the prices and how good the food is, this is definitely a repeat offender on my list of Mexican places to visit around Ypsi-Ann Arbor.
(4)Jason C.
If you grew up eating Taco Bell, Del Taco and/or other fast food taco joints, don't come to La Casita expecting the taste of the food here will be same as Taco Bell, because it's NOT!! La Casita is hidden from the main road (Washtenaw Ave.), you'll find this place if you go to Sav-On, Dunham's, etc... it's behind the Subway, facing north. It's self seating, as far as I could tell... they take Visa and Mastercard. I sat down, the hostess brought three kinds of salsa and chips. I ordered one Fried Pork Taco, one spicy pork taco, one chicken and pepper quesadilla and one chicken Gordito, later I also ordered Spanish rice. The spicy salsa is hot, I preferred the mild salsa. The taco's came on two corn tortilla, with the meat was chopped onion and cilantro. I tried the meat from the fried pork, it was so tender and good... the taco itself was good... next, I tried the spicy... not my favorite... I liked the fried pork taco a lot better. I then tried the rice... it seemed as though the rice was either overcooked or was left out without the covers... however, I did end up eating it all. I waited for the Gordito and Quesadilla... now, these took some time and I understood why... if you ordered Quesadilla and expected it to be the same as Taco Bell (like I did), you are wrong... it was deep fried (YUM) and stuffed with chicken, peppers and sprinkled with cheese... I'll admit though, it was very greasy on my fingers. I was unable to eat my Gordito because I was full... but my friend who had one, I could see the amount of grease on his plate... ^_____^ Overall, the service was okay, with one person working, expect some delays here and there... however the hostess was very nice. I noticed they had sandwiches, not sure what they were... their prices are on the low end, so if you want some homemade tacos, etc., swing by La Casita.
(3)Attossa C.
I found this place through google and tried it on a whim. Very good food, and it was fast. Everyone eating there at 3pm on a Wednesday was speaking Mexican Spanish (except me). The menu is simple and looks like it has been photocopied from a photocopy about 24 times. The prices are good, the inside is very simple. Did I mention the food is excellent. Next time I will try some desserts.
(5)Rick ..
One of my go to spots for tacos. Havent tried too much else on the menu but i think their tacos are some of the best deals around. Lots of filling and cheaper than most other comparable places in the area. They also have my favorite horchata.
(5)Terence W.
Came with a friend upon their review. Ordered the flautas. Great presentation, but over fried w/cold beans. Not offered a refill. Less than impressed. It was also very cold inside.
(3)Alex D.
Poor, slow service. Great guacamole homemade when ordered. But when bit into first bite of chicken burrito, chomped onto a piece of hard plastic the size of a pea. Owner/cool came out to inspect and was very nice. She checked to make sure my tooth was ok and asked what she could do. I said were not paying and we left with no issues from her. Won't be visiting again...
(1)Rusty D.
I have lived near this place for a couple years but only recently found out about it and tried it, and I must say I was very pleased! I liked the atmosphere; it appeared that most of the people working there were part of a family, and there were a lot of families there eating together, too. I had the enchiladas, which were excellent. I don't eat meat, so I was preparing to ask them to fill the enchiladas with "you know, beans, cheese, whatever," when the waitress suggested filling them with potatoes. That sounded intriguing so I went for it, and it turned out to be a great idea - the enchiladas were delicious! I also enjoyed the chips and salsas and side of guacamole. The chips themselves have some very tasty seasoning on them. The guacamole was delicious and the sauces, while not perhaps my absolute favorites, were quite tasty. I would get the same dish again, and there are also several other things I plan to try here.
(4)mariah c.
Nope, La Casita is not actually in a little house. It's in a strip mall... I'm not quite sure how to say "little strip mall," in Spanish, though, so that's OK. With the amount of strip malls on Washtenaw Ave., it's easy for places to get overlooked. Thank goodness for Yelp and for friends who like food -- otherwise, I don't know if I would have discovered this place. There aren't too many other places I'd regularly visit in this mall. For atmosphere, I'd have to say that I still think I like Taqueria la Fiesta a wee bit better. There's nothing wrong with the feeling at La Casita, though -- the server was very nice (and as a totally arbitrary side, I loved her hair). I had three tacos this past time, but 2 would have sufficed for a filling lunch -- both of the types of pork were flavorful, though I did find myself dabbing a bit of salsa on them, too. I'll most certainly be back to try more... I just have to remember to leave more room in my belly!
(4)Cara C.
One word- YUM. This place is legit. I'm not a tex mex fan, I like my taco with meat, onions, and cilantro and that's how they make em here! The guacamole is wonderful as well, and I'm a harsh guacamole critic.
(4)AloisSchicklgruber H.
Definitely the best Mexican I've had in... Michigan. (Disclaimer: I've only been here about 3+ years.) You don't feel more like you're in Mexico than when you're here. Even had Fox Deportes showing football (i.e. the real football, not the sham American version)---Man U vs some team called Galatasaray. Amazing. A shame it's hidden behind a Subway that is itself in the middle of nowhere (middle of A2 and Y to be precise). Another minus is how there are few (if any?) options for vegetarians. Despite what it say on this page, there IS free Wifi. A bit slow, but it's there.
(4)Stephen H.
tacos and enchiladas are very very athentic and good. Chips come with two types of salsas. Enchiladsas have a sorto farmers cheese I am not used to. Crunchy, not like you find on college campuses. Bright and cheerful inside, kinda festive but not overbearing. Service was good, food was hot and fast. I'll be back again and again
(4)Allen G.
Excellent mexican traditional food. Its a little dive but well worth it. Prices are really good. I always walk out stuffed. Competes with any joint in mexican town!
(5)Liz W.
I am officially the most depressing person on Yelp. We were back in the SJM area today as my dad was admitted today with a pulmonary embolism. Yes I am serious. James and I spent most of the day in the ER with him, waiting on the diagnosis and for him to actually get a room. Feeling a need for some comforting food after we got him settled for the night, in his lovely and adoring nurse and tech's hands, we headed for La Casita. Here I decided I would finally get some cabeza aka head. It is a softly fatty rich meat that definitely agreed with me. Great flavor and nice tender meatiness. I also needed some more of their stellar al pastor. The tacos are very filling indeed and made me very happy. I got some rice to round it out which James ended up eating most of. We also had some chips and salsas. This time instead of just the red seed filled spicy and the green tomatillo, they added a creamy fresh green as well (my fave of the three now). They also offered some mild to James which he took happily. He is a salsa wuss which always surprises me even after all these years. James got a chicken chimi with rice and beans and was happy as a clam. He was happy to see his fave Lime Jarritos and says everything gave him a west coast feel, I think he misses Cali and Nevada. They also have bottles of Sangria Senorial here and smaller bottles of a drink James says is popular as well called Chaparritas. He also says this place has Taqueria la Fiesta beat handily. I told him to write his own Yelp review already. Yummy and cheap. I really like it here.
(4)Allie Y.
This place is yummy! As a native Californian, there is always something comforting about finding a Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves good food. Here in Ann Arbor, I have been overall pretty impressed with food choices, but sometimes you just can't be satisfied with the burrito joints on campus. That's where places like La Casita come in! Located basically between Ann Arbor proper and Ypsi, you'd have to either yelp this place or have a handy dandy friend know about it to find the place. Good thing I have both! We decided to try this place to try a new thing instead of going for another time-again tested place, Haifa Falafel (which is also great, and I'll get to yelping about that one another time). First, I love that you walk in and it's truly a small family-owned type store, where the TV on the wall plays spanish channels featuring futbol and spanish soaps and the walls are decorated with futbol jerseys, which are available for purchase too! Then there's the chips and salsa, which were pretty tasty, and/or we were just really hungry. They've got some hefty salt but hey, you don't go for Mexican expecting bland unsalted food right? I got a taco and some sort of sandwich that I can't name at the moment, not a torta. The taco was great! I will be getting 2-3 tacos next time. Meats here are pretty tasty - altogether we sampled al pastor, carnitas and chorizo, all of which were fantastic. They have small gorditas here also which are really cute. My sandwich thing was fine also, I just wasn't really in the mood for the bread since I was craving more corn tortilla after my delectable taco. But my steak was good. I will be back again, whenever I remember to turn into this strip mall, which is a sort of random place to be. But for those tacos, it's worth it! Next time I'm going to try one of their chile rellenos too. For people seeking a more authentic Mexican place, you should try it out! GET A TACO.
(4)Rachel D.
Love this place for a cheap filing lunch!!!
(4)Robert C.
I'd been searching for good Mexican food forever in Ann Arbor after coming over from SoCal and was getting frustrated when I happened upon this place. I went and was immediately delighted with the humble exterior and slightly gaudy interior with Mexican soap operas playing on the TV. I ordered the soft, corn tortilla tacos with carne asada, cilantro and cheese. They arrived with limes and blew my mind with deliciousness. We also ordered chips and pinto beans - something I always order at Mexican places and they did not disappoint. They also sell Mexican popsicle-type things at the front. Come here, you shan't be disappointed. Order your desired flavor of Jarritos and enjoy yumminess.
(5)Erin V.
This is the kind of place that might make some nervous. It's located in the rear of a small strip mall, behind the Subway. The interior is very different from all those other places that try too hard. It's very simple. Soccer jerseys hanging from the wall, slightly dingy tablecloths, duct tape around a few of the windows. But it adds to the charm of the restaurant. I have only been here once, but now that I know that it's here, it will become one of my haunts. The food is authentic, and the service was a bit slower, but I think we all need to learn to relax and take a moment to smell the roses. Or the aromas of the kitchen. The woman who took our order was very kind and assisted me in pronouncing some of the words. I unfortunately took French and have trouble saying simple words such as "pollo." I know, very sad! A tip: look to the walls for more menu options. The basics are in the laminated menu at the table, but there are signs with more menu items. I won't bias anyone by posting what I ordered, but everything my sister and I ordered was amazing! And if you have a friend who is afraid to try anything authentic, there is a kids menu on the back.
(5)Allie K.
I'd heard good things about this place on Yelp, so we stopped in for dinner yesterday. I'm a Taco Bell "Mexican" kind of girl, so this was a new experience for me. To kick it off, a recommendation for newbies: Read the signs around the restaurant. The staples are on the menu, but if you take a look around you'll see signs for all kinds of things you wouldn't know about otherwise. I got some spicy chicken chalupas (I think!) and they were like... pods... of corn, kind of thick, deep fried, with some kind of cheese (the kind that looks like feta but isn't) and lettuce and spicy chicken. The chicken was delicious! I made the mistake of ordering two because I thought they were like tacos at $2 a pop... but it was more than I could eat. My brother got some tacos (I think including boiled lamb?) and they were really tasty too. We got a ton of food and spent $14. I hope this review isn't too pathetic for all the Mexican elitists out there, but I enjoyed this place and I will definitely be back!
(4)Guillermo K.
For a solid Mexican meal with good prices and friendly service, head to La Casita.
(4)Brian W.
I actually do like the food, but when the lady would not give me extra hot sauce, i basically decided not to go anymore. Service is part of the food industry and if u can't spare a couple extra hot sauces on a ten dollar meal, that is horrid service
(2)Alicia L.
Since I hail from the Twin Cities, I'm used to neighborhoods of delicious, authentic Mexican food and huge Cinco de Mayo celebrations. I searched all over the Ann Arbor/Ypsi area to find some real Mexican food and couldn't find it until I discovered La Casita. At La Casita, EVERYTHING is great -- burritos, enchiladas, pambazos... Plus, you know that a restaurant serving beef tongue as a meat option has to be authentic Mexican! On top of the delicious food, you get Univision or soccer streaming on the big screen, and really great service. Mmmm...
(5)Saul W.
Yayy an actual dinky little taquiera near UMich! If you are from California, you know exactly what this place is- Mexican flag bunting, paletas in the freezer, horchata on tap (NOT Horchata Ole, thankfully). Plastic plates, greasy tacos, chips are covered in chili limon. You can buy cigarettes and phone cards, and pick up some latin pop music, too. With this place, and Pacific Beach Burritos across the street, I feel capable of living in Ann Arbor/Ypsi once again. Oh yeah, and the food's good.
(5)Lou S.
Traditional tacos are only $1.59 and they pile on the meat. I've been to all of the other taco places in Ann Arbor area. These are just as good. We ordered pork and steak which were good. This place is the best value compared to the other places. Lower prices and more meat. Also tried the quesadilla which was interesting and I would recommend you try them. I order pork with peppers and it needed sauce to kick up the flavor. If this was closer to my house i would eat here again. I would have rated a 5 but they don't fry the soft corn shells (which i like)
(4)Nino B.
This place is close to be hole in the wall. And i love it. No taco-bell-tex-mex-american-bs tacos. Real tacos baby. As I said before - the best tacos in A2. Bring yourself spanish speaking *cute girl so she can read and translate all those food specials on the wall for you. *Don't ever let her pay.
(5)Jess P.
Tortilla chips were kind of yucky. Weird seasoning on them. Not cooked long enough and the salsas were pretty hot but bland. Other than that, everything else rocked! The waitress accidentally brought me a chicharron prensado gordita instead of a quesadilla. But that was OK! Probably the best thing I had! Horchata was delicious. And a 32 oz. Styrofoam cup of it for $2.50? The price was so good I forgot I had a dairy allergy. My fiancé liked the carne asada tacos a lot, and I pretty much snatched his potato and chorizo quesadilla from him because it was so delicious (which i eagerly traded for my chicken sopes which was also yummy). Go there. You'll find something you like. The staff is nice and the price will bring us back quite often for more.
(4)Jay A.
Went to La Casita for the first time today and was shocked by how good it was. They start you off with some seasoned chips and two types of salsa (green and red). I had a chicken burrito that was delicious and had the best ranchero sauce, with a great side of rice and beans, and a little guacamole and salsa. Very inexpensive too! The restaurant itself is nothing fancy, but the people are nice and the service is quick. I look forward to going back again soon to try more of the menu.
(4)Dave Y.
I'm from Los Angeles, so the selection of Mexican food around Ann Arbor really pales in comparison. This is one of the go-to places, about as good as it gets in this area. The food is cheap and great, and the place itself feels very authentic. Aside from their tacos, their style is very unique, at least very different from the kinds of Mexican food I'm used to in California and the handful of places in Mexico I've been to. For instance, their quesadilla is deep-fried and shaped almost like an empanada. The tacos are great, and everything I've had is very very good. They also have pozole, etc., although I've yet to try it. And sometimes there're people gathered there to watch soccer on Univision. This is a great place, and if you love Mexican food, a must stop.
(5)david W.
I think I just tried the wrong things, so I'm going to go back. Had the beef tounge and chicken flautas. Tender but a little on the bland side. Didn't really enjoy the style of corn tortillas though.
(3)N J.
I LOVE this place! I always get a lengua (tongue) taco, a cabeza de res (beef head) taco, and a barbacoa (steamed lamb). Never once have they failed to be tender and scrumptious. Their horchata is amazing- I recommend ordering the large. If you're not into horchata, the jamaica and pina agua frescas are delightful.
(5)Christopher F.
Another small mom and pop restaurant that hits the mark. The owners are from El Salvador and mix some of their local heritiage with Mexican cuisine, for instance the taco pastor has pineapples in it, it was pretty good. The quesadilla was nothing like I have seen before it was fried with cheese in the middle. There steak sope's are pretty good and their the only restaurant in Ann Arbor area that serves Sope's that I know of. Service was good, food was good, their problem might be there right across from Pacifico burriito, if you want more of the traditional California style Mexican burritio you should go to Pacifico, if you want something a little different you should go to La Casitia!!!
(3)Ryan S.
I used to refer to the previous restaurant here as "the Mexican Zingerman's" for their tortas, and it's good to see that some of the more... interesting torta selections remain on the menu. Definitely take your time exploring the dishes posted on the walls as well; you're sure to find some gems.
(4)Xiao M.
Easily the best tacos in Ypsi/Ann Arbor area. This place is a hole in the wall taht is really easy to miss. Although I only found this place 3 months before I left the area, I managed to go enough times to work through most of the menu. Everything is tasty, but I still think the tacos are the best things on the menu. Tacos are $1.59 each. Free chips and salsa (green and red). Definitely well worth the short drive from AA.
(5)Eric G.
After searching this area for an actual authentic mexican joint, I came across this place. Very very nice waitress and staff and the food was great. We had the Al Pastor, Chorizo, Carnitas and even the Tripe Taco's. Very good, quality food. I will be going back very soon.
(4)S M.
I wish I had found this place sooner because it will now be my favorite Mexican restaurant in town until I can find one better! I wouldn't necessarily say that this place is a "hole in the wall." Having moved from Chicago, I define a true hole in the wall as a place that doesn't feature public restrooms (even for customers) and has an overall dingy appearance that makes you question whether you should be eating there in the first place. While dining here, we sampled the chips and salsa (complimentary), chicken enchiladas (red and green sauce), chicken tacos, and a chicken quesadilla. First off, the chips weren't piping fresh (fresh out of the fryer) but they weren't stale either. Between the two salsas, I thought the red one was a bit too smokey and had an odd consistency like syrup but the green one was good. The chicken tacos were really juicy, wrapped in lightly fried/grilled corn tortillas, and adorned with cilantro and onions. Really simple but very delicious. Did I also mention that they made that off the menu for us? Yes, all their tacos are beef or pork. Did I also mention that each taco was under $2? The chicken quesadilla was definitely different. The corn wrapper is deep fried and then folded over, resembling more of an empanda than what most people think of when they hear "quesadilla." It was also really tasty and interesting (it appeared to be stuffed w/ chicken, cheese, and lettuce). I probably wouldn't order these too often as I'd like to not have a heart attack in a decade, but it's definitely worth trying at least once. The chicken enchiladas can come with green or red sauce, either mild or spicy. Both sauces were tasty -- I thought the red was a bit sweeter and the green more acidic/vinegary. Both were enjoyable, smothered in what looked like chihuahua or other white cheese, and accompanied by rice and beans. The servings here are definitely larger than you will find at Fiesta (Taqueria Fiesta or Fiesta Mexicana) and probably elsewhere. For that reason and for being comparably priced and pretty authentic, I think I will be coming here more often AFTER I resume exercising. Unlike Fiesta, they are also open on Sundays, and they are also open until 10pm on Fri and Sat, which is nice for late-night eaters. For first time diners, the place is not visible from Washtenaw, but head towards Dunham, and you will see it diagonal to Temptations. All in all, a great discovery for my taste buds and wallet but an unfortunate discovery for my waistline. :)
(4)Stuart D.
Hole in the wall? Not from the truest sense of a back-alley-without-a-sign type of a place, but rest assured that you are not walking into a commercialized cookie cutter establishment. There is plenty of authenticity here (not just with the food) and I appreciate it highly. The tacos are the doubled-up soft corn tortilla variety where the garnish is cilantro and onions. A twist of lemon is all you need to brighten it up. If you need salsa, I suggest you go green which is tasty and has a little kick. I hope however that you considered checking out the Tortas and Pambazos. These sandwiches are constructed on a delectable roll/bun. The former gets your filling topped with mayo, lettuce, onions, tomato, avocados, etc., while the latter is going to be dipped in a special red sauce that turns a sandwich into something amazing. Whatever your construction method (taco, torta, quesadilla, etc.) the fillings are all remarkably good. I've tried carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, and bistek and simply have never come across a sub-standard selection. My goal (and a small suggestion to you) at some point is to look at the back wall where the specials are written BEFORE I order. Somehow I always miss that and some of the specials they create sound really good. Coma bien mis amigos.
(5)Alex G.
La Casita is a great place to go if you're craving tacos. Be wary of some of the other items - make sure to read the ingredients carefully rather than asking for recommendations. In particular, one of the sandwiches (I want to say it's called the Cuban) has so much on it I doubt most people can eat it without making a mess and/or becoming ill.
(4)Carlos O.
The best around Ann Arbor and Ypsi! I love the tacos de lengua!
(5)Katie H.
This is the best place I've found in the area for authentic tacos. Cheap too at around $1.50 a piece. The lengua (beef tongue) is scrumptious and if you have never tried it you are doing yourself an injustice. Also good are the chorizo and al pastor. Served with the requisite onion/cilantro mixture and a wedge of lime. I would say the only thing I don't love are the salsa and chips. Salsa is very thin, but tasty I'll say that, and chips are very thick which I personally don't love but others do. Pay attention to the walls because 90% of the food offered in this place is listed on the walls and not on the menu you are given. I like a lot of the fish dishes there and they are listed on the walls. Other pluses are the glass bottle Coke, friendly staff, and the constant rotation of either Soccer (yay!) or soap operas:) I'm being serious when i say this...totally charming little place.
(4)Karen T.
Unexpectedly one of the best Mexican places in the Ypsi/Arbor area. Wonderful horchata!
(4)Minh N.
I'm from CA and let's just say, what ppl in MI describe as Mexican food, normally makes me want to throw up. However, this place is AWESOME. Very authentic, good and CHEAP Mexican food. Free chips and salsa when you sit down. The tacos are good. The quesadillas are well different, but a nice different.
(5)Miike G.
Good. Try the sandwiches instead of ordering an entree. Tried the enchiladas with chicken, cheese and beef were nothing special. My friend had a fried chicken sandwich that was outta this world!
(3)Tyler B.
This, my fellow yelpers, is the epitome of what Yelp is for - touting an establishment that other like minded people might never know about or otherwise ignore. I present to you - La Casita. I've been meaning to try this place out for some time now. Its tucked away in a shopping mall that I sometimes visit for comics (fun4all) and sporting goods (Dunhams) 'Hey!' I'd say to myself, 'That looks like on of those almost dingy mexican restaurants that has AMAZING food. You should go in there.' I owe myself an apology for not listening up sooner. La Casita is a little diner. Its specials are written in magic marker on poster board and tacked to the wall. But as long as you're not looking for upscale, romantic ambiance, this place delivers on every other level. Prices - fair. Service - friendly. Food. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. I got chips and salsa the minute I sat down. The salsa was spicy and delicious. I ordered the beef burrito served enchilada style and let me say, I've been looking for decent Mexican food in Ann Arbor for 15 years and this was the most enjoyable experience I've had yet. If you ever find yourself on Washtenaw between Golfside and Hewitt, make it a point to stop in. I'll be the guy on my lunch break in the corner.
(5)Susan D.
Update - Have recently had the tongue taco several times, and it is wonderful - so tender! Upgrading to four stars.
(4)shannon r.
YES! This is the Mexican restaurant I have been searching for, now we're talking. Short on ambiance but long on flavor and value. La Casita is tucked back in one of the saddest little strip malls off of Washtenaw Ave in Ypsi. I had the three flautas plate for $6.99 and ended up taking a third of it home with me, I was too full to finish. It came with three flaky and crispy flautas (fried rolled tacos) filled with chicken and topped with lettuce, queso and some kind of delicious white sauce (sour cream?). A hearty side of beans (with more crumble queso) and rice with a scoop each of salsa, guac and sourcream rounded out the plate. A large flat screen on the wall broadcasts Spanish-language music videos and my boyfriend was oddly transfixed by it the entire time. Our waitress brought the check to the table and we did a double take as we looked at the total: $96.33. Huh? There was obviously some kind of egregious accounting mistake made when tallying up our check. When we pointed it out she didn't act surprised or embarassed, simply rang us up for the more appropriate sum of $21. Maybe they expect people will just walk up with the credit card without checking the bill? Go to La Casita, the food is a good value and very tasty, just make sure to double check your receipt.
(5)Chiwei L.
Ok, i've got to be the downer on this one. This is the second time i've been to this place just to see if had improved... I really really really wanted to like this place. Cutish hole in the wall: check. Mexican Staff and mexican clientele: check. Menu written in marker needing translation: check!!! Unfortunately, the food doesn't seem to stack up. Lets start with the slightly stale chips with the somewhat bland salsa. The salsa actually has a strange creamy texture that somewhat puts me off. Not bright, not flavorful, not spicy, just plain forgettable. Al Pastor and Canritas Tacos: Well, not bad, but still seemed to be a bit flat. The Tortillas were a also a bit off in texture. Quesadillas was interesting, but was deep fried. Finally the Chili Relleno was just plain disappointing. Smothered in cheese and a mystery "orange colored" sauce, it was sloppy in execution and flavors. I had to pour on the hot sauce just to get it down. Overall not a satisfied camper, i'll stick to Mi Pueblo in Detroit, La Fiesta or Taqueria La Loma down the street.
(2)Mia G.
I couldn't disagree more with the reviews of this place. This is NOT authentic Mexican food!! Trust me on this, I am a Mexican American that grew up eating delicious authentic Mexican food all of my life! Now that I moved to Michigan I am really having a hard time finding a decent Mexican restaurant that can live up to my high expectations. If you haven't had real delicious authentic Mexican food, then I can understand why you would think La Casita is good. Everything I tried was just so bland! I ordered their red sauce enchiladas because I was craving some cheesy goodness and what I got was completely off the mark. Not only was the cheese scarce but the rolled up tortillas were soggy and flaky. The picadillo (ground beef) inside the tortilla was dry and flavorless and the "orange" sauce was very mysterious. The side of rice lacked in color and taste and forget about the tortilla chips that were stale. I tried to cover up my meal with salsa to help with flavor but that didn't work because even the salsa was bad and it's very difficult to mess that up! In your defense, I have not tried their tacos at this point. Although the picture does look appealling, I am not sold on the flavor. If you REALLY want authentic delicious Mexican food I suggest you come on over to my "casita!" lol
(2)Lenny K.
Had a GREAT pozole here last weekend! I wonder if we could bring our own cerveza since they don't sell liquor? Tomorrow, Cinco de Mayo?
(3)Kate B.
4/2009 Visited with my husband this past weekend - we are hooked! We tried the Al Pastor, Chorizo, and Carnitas tacos, as well as two quesodillas (pork and chicken). Omg, was it good. Very inexpensive: Tacos are around $1.45 each and the very filling quesadillas were $1.95. We ordered way too much food, so took the rest home for a midnite-snack. Absolutely try the quesadillas: These are not the limp old flour-tortilla/gobs of cheese staples of every TGI Fridays...these are the real-deal with corn/masa dough deep fried and crisp. Filling was savory roasted pork and shredded chicken. One thing, get them without the lettuce, it just doesn't taste quite right...and spoon on some hot salsa. It's a little hard to find, it's behind the Huckleberry party-store on Washtenaw in the shopping plaza. There's lots of parking available. The restaurant itself is a divey/hole-in-the-wall but it's clean and the staff are friendly.
(3)Mei O.
I think we need to come back and try the tacos. But, we were hungry and not sure where to go, so we thought "Let's give La Casita a try." It was good, but sadly, I'm still left pining for a good taqueria burrito. They have lots of authentic dishes, and I love their little bakery/Mexican ice cream bar selection. The horchata was tasty, but a little heavy on the cinnamon. Nothing really stood out for me though.
(3)Paul H.
Awesome tacos.
(5)Sarah R.
I wanted to check out a couple of the Mexican restaurants in the area that I'd never been to. First, I went to Zorro's and just looked at the menu. I thought it was kind of silly that they charged $7 for two cheese quesadillas when I can make them at home for about a buck. I decided to check out La Casita, and there, you can get two cheese quesadillas for $3.75- much closer to what I'd expect. You must be paying for the ambiance at Zorro's. True, La Casita isn't much to look at. It's a clean and bright but stripped-down little diner. The walls are brightly painted, and hand-drawn signs in marker advertise specials. It's around the corner of a strip mall, and it's not posh dining, but they give you good quality food and a lot of it for good prices. Also, the food is actually quite elegantly plated. For instance, I got the Three Flautas meal, and it was served with beans and rice on the side. Also on the side was a leaf of lettuce that had a dollop of green guacamole, a dollop of red pico de gallo, and a strip of sour cream down the middle, so it looked like a little Mexican flag. My potato flautas were fantastic, crispy and covered with lettuce and a sprinkle of cheese. The beans and the guacamole were flavorful, and the pico de gallo was insanely delicious- some of the best I've had anywhere. Service was friendly and quick, too. My husband was somewhat less impressed with his cheese gordita. He said it was good but he thought meat eaters would probably enjoy them better. With just cheese, he said, it seemed to lack some substance.
(4)Ivan Z.
Superb tacos with a vast array of fillings, a continually rotating specials board, a seemingly boundless menu of entrees and a la carte items, and excellent service makes this place a winner. Last time I was here we had an older woman as our server. She was something like our surrogate Mexican grandmother: very patient with us gringos while we asked all sorts of ridiculous questions about the food and wavered indecisively behind the menu. When we left we took one uneaten quesadilla home with us. She wrapped it up and placed it in the box - over-the-top service for a strip-mall restaurant and near-McDonald's prices. Unfortunately, I don't think I can speak authoritatively about the food. The menu seems huge, given the number of fillings and combinations for each item. The barbacoa is excellent - soft, chewy and flavorful. The carnitas are great too - like eating crumbled bacon. And who can envision anything better than that? La Casita is great.
(4)Nathan T.
Best Tacos near Ann Arbor. I am from Southern California and the tacos are almost comparable to the tacos out west.
(4)Kristina B.
I had never heard of this place before. My coworker had to go to the Secretary of State office in the neighboring center, and called me up to come meet for lunch. I am from southern California. This place took me back to every taqueria I used to love back home. There was a real authentic feel everything. I had two really large and satisfying quesadillas - one cheese and one potato. Masa doughy and deep fried, they were absolutely delicious. They were also only $3.71 together, KACHING! I will agree with the other reviewer, the mild salsa was quite bland and the spicy salsa wasn't that flavorful. Combining the two with a bit of hot sauce helped. Honestly, I don't care about the salsa, it is superfluous to the magnificence of those quesadillas!
(4)B N.
YUM. I had the Al Pastor taco, along with some chips, and I was fully satisfied. Very authentic Mexican fare, and very nice staff. I can't wait to continue to try their other dishes.
(5)Will M.
Absolutley love this restraunt. You cant beat the prices, i think its more expensive to go to the taco bell across the street actually. Real authentic mexican, with realy nice staff and managament. I love the flautus, quesadias, and the tacos. They have authentic mexican sodas, candy, and ice cream. If your in the mood for mexican in the area you have to give this place a try.
(5)Jeromy H.
Great tacos. Best authentic mexican I've found in Ypsilanti.
(4)Zach S.
My god. This is the Mexican restaurant I have been searching for ever since I moved to Ann Arbor five years ago. It's a true hole-in-the-wall taqueria that brings it a thousand times over with the food. They have everything you could want to order, mostly a la carte and all of it cheap. There are close to a dozen different meats to choose from - try to find another Mexican restaurant in Washtenaw County that boasts that. Tonight I ordered a chimichanga with al pastor (roasted marinated pork) and it was divine. The meat was flavorful, slightly spicy, and perfectly cooked. As another reviewer mentioned, the plating was shockingly elegant. The chimi was perfectly covered with a mild enchilada style sauce, a little boat of lettuce with pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh guacamole as a garnish, all extremely fresh and as good as any I've had, anywhere. The beans were flavorful and garnished with a little bit of crumbled cheese. The rice was, well, rice. For $8, it was an incredible value. The salsas they served with chips right after I walked in were also delicious, although the chips tasted a little past their prime, which is my sole complaint about the meal and something that I can't imagine is the norm. The service was quick, friendly, and no-nonsense. I will post further details about other items on the menu after I go back tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that, and every day until I leave Ann Arbor.
(5)Bill B.
In my opinion, this is by far the best Mexican restaurant in the area. We've just recently discovered and have been happily trying everything on the menu. For a sit down place with this good of food (most under $10) it is dirt cheap. Don't forget to try their soups and to look on the walls for other menu items that are in Spanish. There are many more items on wall, but you will need something/someone/someway to translate if you don't speak Spanish.
(4)Chris C.
As a San Diego native, I have high standards for inexpensive mexican food. La Casita passed the test. The carne asada was great, not too greasy, and the burrito I had only contained the carne asada and pico de gallo (no lettuce, cheese, or anything else). The burrito was served wet, which I wasn't expecting but still enjoyed. Normally I don't eat desserts, but I couldn't resist the tres leches cake. It was moist and creamy as it should be. I'll be coming back here.
(5)Mr. T.
I'm giving them a provisional three-star review, though I've only been once. I'll update if my opinion changes. I tried La Casita recently for lunch. It was moderately busy, and the server seemed to be the only person working out front. That said, she was doing a pretty decent job of keeping up with her myriad responsibilities -- my only complaint is that she took a bit longer than I'd like to finally come take my order, but she was pretty busy that whole time. I had tacos al pastor and a "spicy" chicken quesadilla (tinga). Everything was good -- tasty and visually appealing -- but also a bit too bland. I hope it was just a matter of someone in the kitchen being a tad shy with the spices -- I'll go back sometime soon and see if the food is better seasoned on my return visit. I should note that the quesadilla was intriguing -- not the usual soft, gooey thing that Americans have grown accustomed to, but a tortilla that's been crisped into a kind of clamshell embrace of its ingredients. I much prefer this style. There's not a lot of seating here, and the small lunch crowd filled up most of the tables pretty quickly. Prices are low. I will return when I can, but I'm not often on that side of town.
(3)Matt G.
Definitely one of the best little authentic Mexican joints I've been to. When first walking in, you get that real authentic Mexican feel, and you feel out of place if you don't speak fluent Spanish, so you know it has to be good. Of course, like any good Mexican place, they have their own homemade salsa, which, although isn't the best I've ever had, they get bonus points for being original and homemade. I decided to order, on top of the complimentary chips and salsa, a couple of tacos and quesadillas. I loved the tacos because they had delicious meat (including chorizo), and they even put fresh cilantro in it (I love fresh cilantro on any Mexican dish). The quesadilla was fresh out of the fryer, and was an original idea that I've never had before. Their quesadilla was more like a giant fried empanada, rather than the traditional quesadilla. My only gripe, and reason why this wasn't a 5 star restaurant, is because although crunchy and loaded with goodies, it lacked flavor. I think that deep frying it and encasing the ingredients in a thick shell, it takes away the flavor of the meat and cheese inside; it was strangely bland. I think if I was to go back, I would throw some cilantro and salsa in it, which would make it muy sabroso! They even have dessert, which is homemade by a lady who drops it off regularly, definitely bonus points. Love is an ingredient added to a dish that you might not be able to taste, but you're able to feel, and I'm feeling it at La Casita.
(4)Garrett P.
In the words of Larry David, pretty good. Pretty, pretty good. Although the guy in the kitchen looked right at my girlfriend while we were standing at the counter paying and smiled big and long. Kind creepy. Freaked us out a bit, and then we laughed at him.
(4)Tara L.
Tacos are still yum! Decided to try their enchiladas this time, and though the chicken filling was moist and seasoned well, the outside of the enchilada had TOO MUCH CHEESE! I love cheese, but this was just too much. Had to scrape a lot of it away. :( Once that was out of the way, loved the green tomatillo sauce! Fresh and crisp guacamole! Mmmm! I would order this again, but next time, request less cheese! Then it'll be a 5-star experience. :) Husband raved about the tacos, so chances are, we will be back very soon. :)
(4)K. K.
Best Mexican food in the area. The salsas are all really good and the chips are fresh. The tacos and quesadillas are really cheap and delicious. The corn on the cob is great. The soup comes in huge portions and tastes amazing. I usually get one or two carne asada tacos and a chicken or shrimp quesadilla (corn or flour, they're both awesome). The service is really friendly and they always bring more chips and salsa or water as soon as you run out.
(5)Ryan S.
This is the quintessential "this hole-in-the-wall restaurant has no right to be this good" restaurant. I've never ordered anything from here that I haven't loved. Not only is the food excellent, but the prices are so cheap that I worry how this restaurant stays in business. Either way, definitely a must for lovers of authentic, inexpensive Mexican food.
(4)Nicole S.
I love their chicken wet burrito. I really should try something different but fell in love at first bite....great flan also!
(4)Wally S.
Good tacos once again. After much confusion as to what I ordered, I finally got my Carne Asada and my Al Pastor tacos. There were very good (and very hot) with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice on the top. I also tried a Papas Con Chorizo (Potatoes and Mexican Sausage) Quesadilla. The concept is great. A home made fried corn tortilla filled with the above plus crumbled cheese and lettuce. I guess I expected something a bit different. The potatoes and sausage was mostly potatoes and made for a very bland tasting quesadilla. Live and learn. Next time I'm getting Tortas which is a mexican sandwich. I almost had one with my order mix up. It looked real good loaded with Al Pastor. I still love La Casita. I hope to go deeper into the menu next time.
(4)