La Bamba
710 S Gammon Rd, Madison, WI, 53719
La Bamba Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
710 S Gammon Rd
Madison, WI, 53719 - Phone (608) 277-9522
- Website https://labambaburritos.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey, Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
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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J F.
Been coming here for YEARS (close to a decade).... still not sick of it. I stick with the steak tacos, although burritos are good. Definitely "authentic mexicans" working here, without a doubt. A lot of them don't speak the best english, so it's good to make sure you either a) tell them what you want in Spanish or b) repeat your order SEVERAL TIMES. I had issues with them always putting onions on my tacos/burritos but now have it down to a science the best way to prevent this. They tend to be a little forgetful and don't have fancy taco-bell-style video screens showing each order, so you gotta have a strategy if you're picky about your toppings. Definitely not the best, and not really cheap either, but ... I'm hooked. Open ridiculously late every night, too.
(4)Ashley V.
Good tortas. nuff said.
(3)Jack L.
Authentic mexicans, I love the burritos, and they are willing to customize them. I get the super sized beef with no lettuce, added avocado, jalapeno and sour creme. I would give it 5 stars, but sometimes it hasn't always agreed w me. I think the lettuce was to blame, so I ask them to leave it out.
(4)Mike B.
1st stop every time I come back to Madison. I started with them back at U of Illinois in the 80's and the still deliver a great filling burrito as big as your head. Good stuff, wish I had one in Chapel Hill.
(5)Lydia N.
Delicious! I love their nachos and my boyfriend is a huge fan of the "burritos as big as your head." They make everything fresh to order and it's relatively inexpensive so you can't really go wrong!
(4)Jasmin V.
Good Mexican place Super nachos are good. I have great memories of coming here at 3am schwasted and if you asked me then I would have given it 5 stars.
(3)Kurt B.
By far the best fast food near East Towne; nothing comes even close. Very good tacos, done right with onions and cilantro. Quesedillas are a little 'gringo' but taste good. Burritos are pretty good, with nice sized portions. Prices are right. Tacos are $2, burritos the usual $6-8. Definitely worth a stop if you can figure out how to get onto this side road that overlooks East Washington.
(4)Rachelle B.
After a day of snowboarding at Devil's Head Wisconsin, we stopped by Madison, WI to look for a place to eat, before heading back to Chicago. My friend suggested La Bamba. OMG order the Super Nachos the chips they use is so good. It has a different taste and crunch. Warning, you must have friends to help you eat this. They give quite a lot. I also tried a soft shell taco. The shell made everything taste so good. I wish they had a place in the burbs.
(3)James B.
Is Bigger Always Better? I guess it depends on who you ask. Personally, I've always thought of length and girth as being far less important than taste and deliciousness. Wait...We are talking about the same thing, right? Anyway, my work-partner and I were in Madison making deliveries the other day and he said that we absolutely had to go to La Bamba for one of their gigantic super-burritos. It wasn't just his interpretation, they have a gigantic hand-painted mural on the wall when you walk in that says "Burritos As Big As Your Head!! I gather it's a point of pride. Service was awesome, if a bit cheesy. The guy working the grill yells out "HOLA AMIGOS!" to everyone that walks in and was super pleasant. Decor is pretty spartan, it's strictly some cheap tables and booths, plastic silverware, and ESPN Deportes on a telly. But as I've said before, I would happily eat in a Stalinist gulag if the borscht was delicious. Super Burrito? Definitely huge. Definitely messy. Definitely maybe sub-super. I mean, it was good. Don't get me wrong. But it wasn't like, blow-me-away-amazing. I got the pork and it was more like ground pork than some kind of actual pork texture. They also put lettuce in the burrito which is a huge turn-off for me. The salsa, even the secret green stuff that you have to ask for wasn't very hot at all. I'll eat there again, but I won't have the pork. Will be sure to update when I've had something else from their menu.
(3)Tamara C.
Tasty steak and chicken burritos. Get it with avocado!
(4)Mandy S.
Best flipping nachos ever !!!!!! Will be going back for them again soon and it's not expensive at all
(3)Angie L.
I really like the tacos here, they are on soft corn tortillas. Tuesday and Sunday are .99 tacos. My friend tried the nachos and didn't like it, the chips were a bit stale and when we they asked if we wanted everything on it, we said yes, expecting the normal toppings but they threw lettuce on the hot fake nacho cheese and sour cream. I have back to this place a few times and I've learned my lesson to always get the tacos. Great price and fills me up.
(4)Joshua J.
Just as the one in Monona, I like La Bamba. They have very raw, "you know what you're eating" food. A lot of people who will probably low-rate this place prefer places like Pedros or Taco Bell with mystery sauces and fake ingredients abound. The food here is amazing with my favorite being the Veggie Nachos and Bean/avocado burrito. Hot sauce adds a lot of flavor to both and is absolutely necessary in my opinion to get the full experience.
(4)Tony C.
As the (seemingly) only restaurant open on the East Side after 9-10p; LaBamba's has become something of a staple for me, which is cool, since they have good cheap ($.99 beef tacos on Tue/Sat), fresh authentic (for Madison, WI...) food made how I like it. The Staff are very friendly, they now know me by face since I've been stopping there so often. There's no drive thru, but the service is good enough that I've never been in/out in more than 5min. They have a pretty large menu, all of it made to order for you. As of this posting I've not been able to confirm the burrito/head claim as per the motto, will update if I'm able. The cons: The size of the tacos is relatively small (think street-food snack-handheld... or just buy one, you'll see), so get like 3. The access to this location is via the EW service road, which though 'paved' is one of the worst roads easily I've seen, even by madtown standards. So expect 30s of bumpy ride & testing your car's suspension sys. Its not the place's fault, in fact their lot is nice and well-maintaned; just thought id give a heads up. My personal recommendations are the tacos al pastor w/ cilantro, onions, and a cup of their horchatta, which isn't over-rich like I've had at some places. Also they stay open late (THANK YOU, at least one place gets it, lets start a movement here people!), nice variety of Jarritos bottles if you want something other than the fountain, They'll include hot sauce & limes if you want & the staff are great at helping if you're trying to learn some Spanish. Look for coupons sometimes in the monthly savings mailers. But if your by east towne and quiznos or KFC is closed and need something quick, cheap, and yum, stop by LaBambas.
(4)M P.
Wasnt sure if 4 or 5 was earned but gave it a 5 for overall....Was there on Saturday night (usually only go for a special late night meal after work). Last time they forgot my quesadillas but lesson learned, check your order. Very tasty, love the spicy mexican sausage. I always leave some cash since they are very nice and accomodating... Thanks Amigos!
(5)Chris H.
La Bamba is a pretty good cheap, 'authentic' Mexican food joint. It's the closest I've been able to find to the taco trucks I'm used to from back home in California. Is it perfect? No, but it's close. The super burritos are huge, loaded with stuff, and pretty tasty. My only real complaint is the cheese they use. They use sliced cheese on the burritos and liquid cheese on the nachos. They should shell our for shredded cheese to put them over the top. And maybe black beans, in place of refried pinto beans I suggest the asada burrito, add rice. Make sure you ask for extra hot sauce as it's really good.
(4)Eddie G.
Having just moved to Madison from Los Angeles, CA, I have been fiending for some legit tacos. I just tried La Bambas Tacos Al Pastor, and while they aren't what you'll get at a taco truck in East L.A., they are pretty darn good. My friends and I consider ourselves Taco Aficionados, and I will say that the 5 tacos and large horchata has me full and thoroughly satisfied. Definitely a must-try for some pretty-darn-close-to-110% authentic tacos.
(4)Krystal P.
My coworker Rick has been telling me how great this place is for a very long time, I finally decide to try it the week I leave .. WTF was I thinking ... Why didn't I listen to him earlier ... OMG I love their hole in wall style mexican food ... Being from LA it brought back to east LA, it was very authentic ... They had tortas which I wanted to get but I decided to go with the burrito .. It was delish!!! They grill it, and their salsa is La Bamba ....
(4)Steven L.
Worst quesodilla i have ever had. It was more lettuce and beans than actual cheese which I'm pretty sure is not how a quesodilla is normally made.
(1)Benjamin W.
Steve L put it as good as one can say: "It's a college town burrito chain..." If I was drunk, it was late and I wanted to eat something, this would suffice. However, sober, its disgusting. There are only refried beans. The fillings in a veggie burrito consist of rice and hot sauce and refried beans. Mexican, its not. Good it is not. Cheap, I guess. There is better out there. There is much better out there.
(2)Thomas C.
Love this place. Good, fresh made food, that is not to pricey. It might be a chain, but does not taste like it. The hot sauce had something that so many other sauces don't have, flavor. This sauce brings a good heat, but has a flavor to it that adds to your meal.
(5)Ri M.
"what would you like for dinner lady?"my hubby asked me and I said "I would like chicken tacos from La Bamba" and he said "ooook", as you can tell he is not a big fan of this place but we have some tacos from this place from time to time. I admit it is a very simple place and the food it is not the best one; however the way I asked for my tacos to be done it convert them to a better and tastier version that I happen to like a lot. Ok, I will reveal my secret to you just because I think it is not fair to keep it all to myself: 1) I asked the guys to toast the tortillas longer (they get a little bit crunchy) 2) I asked them to put cheese in between the two tortillas (you have to ask for it at the same time they put the tortillas on the griddle). 3) I am a chicken lover so they add shreded chicken to my tacos (I think chicken it is the best option here). 4) for toppings, I only ask for lettuce, cilantro and avocado. Last but not least, ask for hot sauce and some lime wedges on the side. Once I get home I put a little bit of salt to my tacos, some hot sauce and lime juice and for me, it is like a mariachi singing in my ear. I recommend the tacos that way, so buen provecho! ;)
(3)Oscar P.
I have to say that I love the super nachos they have here they are covered in juicy meat and beautiful cheese with all the toppings. But when it comes to tacos they are dry and not exactly exploding in flavor like the nachos. I've heard that when you go you should always have one of the right cooks making you're tacos I wasn't told which one but I'm assuming I didn't get the right one because they weren't good at all. If it wasn't for the nachos and the fact the people were very nice while making the food I wouldn't be giving them 3 stars. ( Side note, I don't know the name of the guy but if you want good tacos the guy with the mustache is the best cook there, at least that's what I'm assuming because there is only ever 2 people there he was one of them)
(3)Chazz B.
This is exactly the type of Mexican joint you would expect in a college town. It's fairly cheap, fast, and they are open late as fuck on the weekends so you can sop up all that alcohol you just drank. Although the burritos are their main advertising point I would say they are about on par with chipotle. If you go on Sunday or Tuesday the beef tacos are on sale and you can get three for under 4 dollars, which is what I go there for. The hot sauce is really, really good so make sure you get some extra.
(3)Stephanie F.
Food is ok..you have to know what's good..(fajitas and rice pretty much)...kinda pricey, open late....everything is extra and extra expensive ..a mini sour cream container costs .75c .cilantro is extra...soda is ridiculously priced...I always feel like I am getting ripped off when I buy food there..overall ok place to go when nothing else is opened
(3)Kevin H.
Big portions for modest prices. I usually get it to go. Think of it as a better Taco Bell and you'll dig this place. Fajitas dinner combo had 8 tortillas and a very generous helping of rice and beans, easy to split between multiple meals. Half of their huge burritos could easily compare to a modest chipotle burrito.
(3)Christina P.
I had a rather interesting first time experience at La Bamba. Stopped in for a quick bite to eat with a friend. We each ordered one steak taco. In Spanish we said, "Un taco de asada." The cook was taking a rather long time to make two tacos, only to later see in front of us two huge steak MEALS. Apparently there was some miscommunication... He must have understood two steak meals, not two steak tacos. The manager was there with him and it was a rather awkward situation. No one was really saying anything. There were a lot of back and forth looks. I ended up being the one having to step up and speak. I told the manager I'd be willing to pay for one of the carne asade (steak) meals, but not both. My bill of what would have been 5 bucks turned into about $15. He sort of laughed off the situation and accepted my deal. It bothered me that I had to come up with a compromise when it was not my wrong doing. The meal was fine. It was a generous amount of meat served with red rice, beans, tortillas, and a huge grilled jalapeno. Does anyone actually eat the jalapeno? Just wondering. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't awesome. Honestly, the situation probably just left a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)Samantha S.
I really like the food... I'm not going to lie this is 5 star food if you're drunk. Which is completely awesome! It's 4 star for any other time because it makes the quota for having veg options and really good flavor and they've cleaned it up a lot! I just don't like how sometimes it's too cold and It's very bare.... but those are my only complaints! The people who work there are always sweeet!!!
(4)Ashley G.
If I could give this less than one star I would. Took over an hour for my food to arrive and when it did everything was cold. Took a bite of my burrito and it was cold and slimy. Gave the burrito to my roommate. He offered to pay me, told him it's not worth anything...hopefully the quesadilla is better but I doubt it...feeling hungry for REAL Authentic Mexican!
(1)Linda L.
I got Nachos that look like a bird crapped on it, the chips were limp and soggy. The beans were bland. Pretty disappointed.
(1)Troy J.
Two words: Super Burrito. It may not be as big as your head, but its as big as your late night appetite. I suggest the steak version without beans. However, they're very accommodating, so have them throw in some chorizo if you're feeling wiley.
(4)Sheng L.
The front counter lady sneezing without covering up should have been the only sign I needed, but I had already handed her my card to pay for the food. When we received the food, it was good, not great AND my husband and I had to pay the price for it for a whole week after, if you know what I mean. I say nay! Never again!
(1)Colin U.
Ok, so lets just get something straight here. This isn't a place for a spectacular gourmet meal or anything. Conversely, BURRITOS THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD?! Come on, it is just down right monstrous. Honestly though the burritos and other various menu items seem to be made with high quality ingredients, quickly, and for a reasonable price. It is some pretty good football game food after a few beers. I would have to say that although I KNOW the food is good, to people walking by it may sort of seem like a dump. Some simple seating for you to devour your pile of food and no special decorations, or theme for that matter, within its walls. Once again though, I think of this place more as a place to refuel than an "experience."
(4)Kyle K.
Dear God, Thank you for letting La Bamba be a thing. I don't know how many times I've needed a super burrito with steak to kill a nasty post football game or Dells hangover. Thank you for allowing the staff to be kind enough not to judge my friends and I today for being so sunburned we couldn't move. Thank you for letting them serve the best hot sauce on earth. Thank you for somehow rigging things so I had to stay at the shitty Best Western across the street for a week while working in Madison. I don't hold the 10 pounds I gained eating here every night against you. Good luck with heaven and stuff, Kyle K P.S. If you are as cool as Billy Graham says you are you'll let a La Bamba open in Milwaukee. If you do I just might stop making the spaghetti monster joke about you.
(4)Richard S.
my girlfriend ordered a chicken quesadilla and was given a beef quesadilla. Last time I checked a beef quesadilla would be a taco not a quesadilla. The shell was overly soggy and nasty. The ground beef had no seasoning or taste. If this place is suppose to serve mexican food they have definitely missed the mark. Taco Bell does a better job and they are a fast food restaurant. The owner of this place needs to learn how to cook food properly.
(1)Tony Z.
The food and the staff here are gross, but........ I do believe they have the best salsa in the city. I come here for rice and salsa only!
(2)Steve L.
Ok, so La Bamba is a chain and it may not be a 100% representation of what you'd find in the Barrio or from a food cart vendor in Mexico City - fine. We get it; none of us are as worthy as the handful of ethnic (particularly Mexican and Thai) food snobs (with big chips on their shoulders) that lurk Yelp.... Now that we've got that out of the way - La Bamba is a great "go to option" for when my burrito demons rear their ugly heads. Why? The stuff is fresh. There are no freezers anywhere. I've watched them make their hot sauce from scratch - they take dried peppers, smoked chile peppers, water and a touch of oil, toss it into a huge VitaMix mixer and puree it. Handful by handful. Nothing from a can. My favorite item? The Super steak burrito, no cheese, no beans, add hot sauce. Yum. I could eat 2-3 of them at a time, no lie. The steak is always flavorful and tender, with nary a sign of gristle, excess fat, or any other nasties. Service is always helpful, fast, and friendly to boot. Tip those guys - they do a great job! The only thing I've ever been less than impressed with are the nacho chips... they seem to always be a touch on the stale side. Otherwise, La Bamba is a definite WIN. Food = 4 stars Service = 4 stars Value = 3.5 stars MISC = 2 stars (inside isn't anything great)
(4)Dj J.
Im writing this one for the unhappy reviewer who stopped while on a road trip, just to clarify the La Bamba experience for any other Yelpers. La Bamba is a college town restaurant, famous for serving burritos to drunk college students when the drunk parade starts after the bars close. La Bamba burritos as big as your head are well loved and well remembered by many Big 10 students. The Madison location used to be just off State Street, but moved out to the burbs some years ago. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very cold and cafeteria style; get your food, eat and get on your way. I would not go here for a sit down Mexican meal. Most folks go for one thing - the burritos. My personal fave is the mini combo con todo! Including that famous hot sauce. It's been sixteen years since I graduated college, but every time we drive by East Wash we have to jump off 94 to get a La Bamba. You crave them, wolf them down, and then think, meh. It's alright. (Not as good as at 3:00 a.m. after many many cheap tap beers). The tacos are good as well, and they do have pastor. I even pack a cooler and haul some up to my old college roomie in Mnpls. Hint: they taste even better the next day, after refrigeration for a day, and they do freeze well. So if you want to try this wonderful burrito as big as your head experience, have at it. If you want a nice Mex-American meal with frozen margaritas, this is not your place.
(3)