Mi Cocina
The Woodlands Mall,1201 Lake Woodlands Dr, Ste 304, The Woodlands, TX, 77380
Mi Cocina Menu
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Visit below restaurant in The Woodlands for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in The Woodlands for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in The Woodlands for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
The Woodlands Mall,1201 Lake Woodlands Dr, Ste 304
The Woodlands, TX, 77380 - Phone (281) 298-6426
- 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 : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Emily M.
We used to go to Mi Cocina weekly when we lived in Dallas, where the restaurant originated. We were nervous to try this location, as it had large shoes to fill, but it did not disappoint! The chips and salsa to start off the meal are delectable, crunchy corn chips, with rich, tomato-y salsa. The food and menu are identical to our beloved Dallas location. The brisket tacos can't be beat! Even better? HAPPY HOUR!!! From 4-7 M-F, they have $5 drink specials (including their delicious margaritas and mambo taxis), and $5 food specials! In addition, the wait staff was beyond friendly and accommodating. It was amazing because you could tell the staff worked together as a team, as we were frequently checked on by everyone wanting to ensure all of our desires were met. This is likely going to become a Friday night tradition for us again, just like when we were Dallasites.
(5)Kristina S.
Service-fast. Food-delicious. Waitress Dorsa was super nice! Thank you.
(5)Stephanie J.
Good food, good service. I enjoy coming here for solo lunch or dinner out with friends. Happy hour Mambo Taxis are the best. It's never busy when I go, which is nice. No waiting. Will be back soon!
(4)Denise W.
Nothing extrodinary but it wasnt bad either. Great service
(3)Cynthia A.
Nice atmosphere and wait staff. We had the best server, Brenda! She did an awesome job taking care of us. I had the Changa (fried burrito) and it was really good. The manager came by twice asking how we were doing. Will definitely be back.
(5)Johann F.
Great place, I enjoyed the food and the ambiance. The wait wad not bad at all. They need a more diverse selection for the pre main corse selection.. that was pretty much the only thing that I can say that is not positive.
(4)Mandy C.
The atmosphere was perfect and the drinks were strong! We had a cucumber margarita and the sangria! Could only have one of each! The sampler is huge and really could feed 4 people! Not one complaint! The staff was very attentive!!
(5)Brian G.
We had visited twice before, have to admit to not having written a review before but it would have been a solid 'meh' with 2 stars because our choices ended up so bland we didn't really like them at all. I have to admit that for me (and my wife) the food is too mild (really mild) but today was overall a much better experience. Great service, the salsa with the chips was nicely spicy and I ordered a margarita special - agave for sweetness and jalapeño for spiciness - woohoo it was great. Unfortunately the spiciness of the dishes (my wife has the "spicy beef tamales" which she loved and found it so flavorful we will definitely put this restaurant to the top of our list of local Mexican choices) was still lacking to be honest. I has the chimichanga's - the beef was somewhat spicy but the chicken, while good, tasted like roast Sunday chicken dinner and nothing Mexican or spicy whatsoever. Bottom line - a good 4 (considering the shockingly weak competition in the Woodlands - but worthy of a 5 if they just spice it up a little - please!!!!
(4)Kendra L.
I tried Mi Cocina for the first time for a work lunch. They give each person individual salsa bowls (!) and the chips taste like gourmet Fritos. I had the chicken nachos for my entrée and it was huge - get the half order if you're not going to share. The chicken was seasoned well and there was a ton of it. I had to take off a star because the service was just a little bit slow for a lunch during the work week but they were still very nice and accommodating. I haven't had a chance to try this place out for the whole experience (margaritas and all) but I definitely plan on going back.
(4)Amanda P.
I was not a fan at first, but happy hour is good here and it just took us a while to figure out how best to order. We enjoy the ceviche and an appetizer combo plate. Found that getting two entrees was just so much food, and we could never quite decide on one meal to split (while still having one appetizer). Service has always been pretty good here. Mambo taxi margarita has sangria on it and it's tasty.
(4)Angie B.
Went for dinner during the weekday and I'm assuming they must've not been expecting it to be busy because it seemed like the waiters were handling more than usual. To me that's not as much of a factor unless they really don't care and give terrible service which was not the case. Plus the manager checked on us often. I tried the Poblano Chicken Enchiladas which I would say were good but I was expecting delish due to the prices and reputation of the restaurant. The chips were not my favorite, very frito-like. The restaurant itself is quite fancy but you could tell many people went there after work. I also enjoyed the Latin music they were playing. Certainly open to go back and try more from their menu.
(3)Rafael L.
I have tried all the mi Cocina's all over Dallas and its always a nice place to go have some margaritas and some good food, i was in houston this past weekend because im planning to move over there, anyway i was there and the bartender was nice he was very attentive but then they changed shifts and the other bartender was rude !!! He was in a bad mood or he didn't want me there you can tell right away. He was very helpful with everybody else but not me, i guess because everyone knew him and i didn't it was weird i was enjoying my margarita and i was going to keep drinking there but that guy made me feel not welcome so i decided to leave !!! I think his name is Shawn !!!!
(1)Dana E.
Good food, service is usually good but was quite slow today. I enjoy the lunch quesadilla plate and the margaritas are delicious too.
(4)James D.
Love the food. Fresh food. Service is never bad but could some help. Well meaning servers needing some focus.
(4)Jesse R.
As a Dallas transplant in Houston and try to visit Mi Cocina in the Woodlands as much as possible. Are there any plans to open an location in Houston proper?
(5)Andrew P.
Visiting Houston and tried this place for an early dinner with coworkers on Saturday night. The server was ok, but two of my coworkers were foreigners (China and Nigeria) and the server was very rude when they asked questions about the menu. One didn't eat pork and the server tried to recommended bacon wrapped shrimp!! The food was below average, and very bland. The only good thing about this place was the free chips and salsa.
(2)Chelsea N.
Food is amazing, prices are amazing, mambo taxi margaritas are STRONG and delicious. We come here once a week, haven't been disappointed yet. Order the brisket tacos and a mambo taxi.
(5)Charity B.
Love happy hour specials like nachos locos and guacamole!! Do yourself a favor and get a mambo taxi too!
(5)Mark S.
Outstanding food and service. We had the taco brisket and chicken fajita. Both excellent! This is cooked to order food so you should expect to wait. This isn't Taco Bell
(5)Monica C.
The service needs more training. victor came to my table with my ticket after my first drink and appetizer telling me i could pay out when ready. this was only the only time i saw him after i was seated. one for the initial order, last when my ticket was given to me and asked to pay out. i even asked him to let me keep my menu when i first ordered so i could order an entrée. i did ask for one more drink before leaving since i was still thirsty after never having my water drink refilled or even asked if i needed anything. i left him a tip of over 20% with hopes that he will learn that people who show up to his table should all be treated with respect. i didn't get napkins for my drink until i was about to leave. i will not be back and neither will i recommend this place to anyone. the waiter can't wait for you to leave. i didnt even have a chance to try an entrée. Shame.
(1)Jordy H.
good food, good service... nice ambiance and would recommend this for a good place to eat after some shopping :)
(4)Caitlyn B.
After trying the tamales at Taste of the Town event we had to come try this place. It was hands down the best upscale Mexican food I've ever had. Took our picky 2 yr old and asked if they could just give her a plate of shredded chicken, they did and she ate it all. Everything was hot, fresh and service was outstanding.
(5)David R.
I have trolled on Yelp for years, but finally feel obligated to contribute to share a bad experience. I have dined with Mi Cocina in Dallas for years so I was excited to come to this location. I especially like the food and scene at the HP location. It's a go-to for anybody in Park City. As for The Woodlands, I've actually walked in 3 times over the past few years, but it was always dead at near-peak times and I just decided to leave for a better scene. Today I was committed and I dined there with my mother. First, on a Sunday at 1pm, the restaurant was dead...it was around 25% capacity. I ordered a "Hand Made Margarita" which was served in the exact same kind of glass as tea or water. I can't say it's improper to serve it this way, but on a "Premium Drink" at a "Premium Restaurant" I'd expect better or different glassware....a margarita glass, a highball glass, martini glass, something... Next we started with Chile Con Queso. It literally tasted like Campbell's Cheese Soup, it didn't taste like good Queso, or even some sort of almost-cheese substitute with Ro-tel, it just tasted like canned Campbell's out of a can. Next main course. My mother had a plate with a beef enchilada, beef taco, and a tamale. I had carne asada. They forgot to bring out my mom's beef taco and my bean soup until we asked them for it. The beef enchilada was essentially unflavored hamburger meat wrapped in a tortilla. The beef taco was unseasoned hamburger meat thrown in a taco. The tamale was 85% masa, 15% filling...just the ratio was off. Now, on to my carne asada. It was served to me rare - I asked for medium rare, and it was just not cooked properly. It seamed like it was just quickly cooked on a low temperature griddle and barely cooked on either side. It was a bloody, fatty, disappointment. I picked our waiter's brain and asked if they were ever busy. He said they're busy Saturday nights, but "the restaurant is new, only 3 years old - they're trying to build up the business." With their location, the only way to build the business is by firing everyone who runs the place. They're doing a piss-poor job. This place should be slammed. Out of curiosity, I called Guadalajara and they said they had a 20 minute wait. With this Mi Cocina location, there should be a 45 minute wait. I also forgot to mention service. There were no long waits and our waiter was generally fine, but they need to teach a couple things. 1 - the person who brought our food out asked, "who had the Carne Asada"...I'm wondering A)why they didn't know already and B)when they found out it was me, why the didn't serve my mother first. Additionally, the waiter cleared my plate without asking me when my mother was about 75% done. I hate when a waiter clears a plate before all people are done eating, especially when a restaurant is dead. Also, the manager came by and asked how everything was and I just smiled and said great. I just wasn't in the mood to get in to it today. I would not suggest anyone come here. Definitely visit one of the Park City locations in Dallas, but choose a different option in The Woodlands. The location is struggling because they're doing a very bad job.
(1)Teresa M.
Decided to try again after 2 previously bad experiences. Sorry we did. On Friday night 6 pm the place was very slow, during Holiday season that's surprising. Serviced waivers polite. My husband had enchiladas that were cold. My soup was also cold, I sent it back for warming. The must disappointing part was my salad. $10.95 For basically 1/4 cup overly salty chicken on bed of lettuce that included 5 iceberg lettuce butts. Overly priced for very poor food
(1)Connie L.
Response from management on my bad review has been outstanding. The restaurant director picked up our tab the day of our bad service and has invited us to come back so that they can prove that the quality of food as well as their service has changed. Not looking for handouts but I do like to point out the flaws especially when I am forking out the money on food so that we don't have any worries. When folks go out to eat, we all should be able to go anywhere and not have to worry about anything except for what we want to eat or drink.
(3)Rachel B.
No necesito más frijoles en Mi Cocina.. No necesito más arroz en Mi Cocina.. Necesito más brisket en Mi Cocina! After attending an Elite event at Mi Cocina, I knew that I would need to make a return visit to satisfy my peaked interest in the idea of brisket being served every which way with a Mexican flair. Not the first place to have played with the concept but it's damn good juicy brisket and I wanted más. Met the always lovely Alison C. (who attended the event with me) out for dinner so we could give it another go. I, of course, ordered the brisket tacos and she ordered nachos after a lengthy talk with the waiter describing something we had tried at the event but didn't appear to be on the menu. He gave a fairly bewildered look and instead of asking someone else if there was anything that fit that description kind of just awkwardly stood their awaiting for a change in the order. The brisket was flavorful but the tacos were so dang small I think I'd call em' a 3 biter. I did like the sliced avocado that came with the other usual taco fixins as that is usually extra or unattainable period. The nachos, for being a half order, was quite a bit of food but not spectacular. There is something very delicious about a margarita swirled with sangria (Mambo Taxi)... oh yea, its the fact that you can swirl sangria in anything and I will swoon. It was $10 for a half glass!!! Alison C. ordered the Dilemma(Strawberry Marg, Mambo Taxi and Mango Marg), which was $12 and it was at least 2 times bigger than the Mambo Taxi, so you bet your buns I got that for round 2. Not something I would seek out, but if the brisket mood strikes, I'm near the Woodlands, I can't handle another generic meal from Cheesecake Factory and I'm too broke for Brio... I'd stop in.
(3)Jen M.
My first time here, and loved it. The chips were REALLY good and not greasy at all. The salsa is freaking awesome. We got the chicken fajitas for 3. It was a LOT of chicken for 3 and it was good. They give you plenty of tortillas, so you're not constantly asking for more. The service was really great, and for early lunch on a Sunday, it was moderately busy. I am certainly going to return!
(5)Melissa T.
Good is great, service is DEFINITELY lacking. Between the hostess telling us about how bad her day has been to asking the server multiple times for the same thing... This location could take a few lessons from their Dallas counterparts.
(3)Carol C.
OVERCHARGED BIG DISSAPOINTMENT!!! Went here the 1st week they opened twice. Came back with hubby 2nd time to actually eat dinner. Was excited because I had heard good things about Mi Cocina in Dallas. This was our experience: We arrived before 5:00pm. Sought out hostess to seat us and waited 20 minutes for our menus - hostess forgot menus. Had to flag down waitstaff person for menus. Waited another 20 minutes for chips and horrible salsa. Finally met our waiter and ordered drinks and food. Waited another 20 minutes then flagged down another server to ask where are drinks were, also our napkins and silverware. Our server had disappeared. Good thing we had our iPhones with us to play with. Salsa tasted like cheap chunky jarred stuff - not fresh homemade that day. Beef taco fajita plate was $$19.95. Beef was half fat. Told manager and he said he would tell the chef to cut the fat off in the future. No replacement for beef fajita tacos offered. Hubby had a PILE of SOFT MUSHY FAT on his plate :( . Rice had no seasoning and tasted like someone just added a little tomato sauce to it. My Sunset chicken enchiladas were bland and the cheese was sour tasting and seriously lacking any true Mexican seasoning. Bean soup looked nasty color like dirty dishwater. No real flavor - blah. Refried beans were the only thing that were just ok. Waiter spilled food on top of my new Michael Kors purse and we didn't get comped anything. Had to physically get up and find our server to pay the bill for the low quality food. We were OVERCHARGED $10.00 on our credit card MORE THAN WHAT WE SIGNED FOR. The $1.50 tacos at Taqueria Arandas are much better. Dreadful !!! Never again Mi Cocina.
(1)Robert O.
The service was abysmal despite the fact that there were only three parties in the side room and two at the bar. The staff was more interested in talking to each other than to make sure their customers received good service. Food was dry and not very good. We really like their margaritas and thought it would be a great place to celebrate a special occasion tonight. Sadly we were wrong. With tip we spent close to $100 (2 dinners and 2 margaritas) and didn't have a good experience at all.
(1)Adam B.
It took more than 8 minutes before we were greeted and could order our drinks. Received our Queso for an appetizer and is no bueno. ( taste like fake cheese or movie theater pump nacho cheese).To many other great Tex-Mex restaurants in the area. NOT GOOD!
(1)Greg N.
Classy atmosphere for Mexican food. The queso tasted like the yellow goo from the can you buy at Costco, only it's consistency was thinner and even less flavorful. Taco Bell has better quality. Slow service on a slow day. Overpriced. Salsa taste like canned tomatoes. Barf.
(1)Julie N.
Okay, so I went back recently because my family really wanted to and I'm happy to say our experience this time was much better! Our waitress was very nice and we revived super quick service. We choose guacamole this time for appetizer and it was very good, and pleased to find it was freshly made and not chocked full of salt or preservatives. The rice was great too!
(4)Dan F.
We went with friends and we miss the Rockfish that use dot be in this location. This is a good restaurant but know you are going to PAY for Mexican food here a higher price than other spots. You are playing for location and atmosphere and that's what you get. I had the brisket tacos and they were good and I would order them again. My friend ordered a margarita and it came in a short cocktail glass which is really weird, and it was not cheap!! Everyone at the table enjoyed what they had and we all agreed we would go back. Would we go on a regular basis, no, but we would go back.
(4)Ahmed A.
First negative review I had to write about anything.. Service makes or breaks many deals and today was the first time I ever leave a place without tipping.. We were seated.. Lady came put down chips and salsa.. Not a single pleasantry or smile.. Until I thanked her.. How welcoming! 10 minutes nobody comes.. Then I make eye contact with one of the waiters and he comes over and takes our drinks orders.. Then.. Another person comes a few minutes later saying he's our waiter and took the drink orders again! Then.. We ordered.. Took about 10 minutes to get a cold salad with the dressing on the side.. Oh joy.. We are 3 and got 1 side plate.. He never even offered to get others.. We asked for water for my daughter.. It never showed up.. The fajitas took so long and when they came.. If was one one order.. He said he thought I said one and split it.. I actually doubted myself a bit but my wife assured me I did order 2 explicitly.. All he said was "then I'll have to order another one".. Yeah i guess ? I asked for the check because it took too long anyway and our kids were tired.. And he looks at me with a blank face and says "but the other one is coming".. Well I want it to go then.. And he goes blank and stands there for a few seconds.. All in all.. A very disappointing second time given we liked it the first time.. The food is ok.. The place itself is quite nice.. Still though.. 1 star for the poor service..
(1)Paul N.
I gave this restaurant one stars because with the awesome location, they should have better portions, better service, and overall better food. Went here with my family after remembering they built it about a year ago. They have a very nice clean restaurant, but that is about it. I ordered half/half fajitas (half beef, half chicken) and This must have been the runt of the chickens because it was the size of a quail breast. The steak was so thin it only had one side!! My kids got grossly over priced kids meals that were lacking in size and taste. The wife got Amas dinner and honestly it wasn't that bad. However for the price it wasn't all that great. you know? If you want mexican food in the woodlands, this isn't your place. It is over priced, the service was slow, and the portions were TINY. There are better choices literally across the street with PF Changs, or Cheesecake Factory. Happy Eating!
(1)Sylvia N.
I've been to two Dallas locations in the past and the food and service at those locations were spectacular. When I found out Mi Cocina was opening in The Woodlands, I couldn't contain my excitement! Unfortunately, this place doesn't hold a candle to the Dallas locations. I've been to this location twice and the first time was just fine, albeit the service was a tad slow but otherwise no hiccups. The second time I went with my family for my birthday dinner and it was such a big disappointment. I checked the hours on Yelp and realized later on that the closing times are off by an hour. I went on a Sunday and they actually close at 9 instead of 10. My family and I got there around 8:40 so I could understand their less-than-enthusiastic service and facial expressions, but it was really unnecessary to receive them throughout the whole meal. Our server looked to be a teenage girl and whenever she didn't disappear into the kitchen, she rushed us. She spoke so quickly her words blurred together, like she couldn't wait to finish the interaction with us. We started off with a bowl of chicken tortilla soup split between the three of us. None of us could finish it because it seemed to be overloaded with salt. I had the brisket tacos (a personal favorite dish of mine from Mi Cocina) and noticed that the dressing for my salad was missing. After our server had dropped off our food, she had walked away without asking us if everything looked okay. I waited for her to come back so I could ask for some dressing but she didn't come back until the end of our meal so she could hand us our check. I get that we got there at a pretty bad time but that still isn't an excuse to get such horrible service. The food and service were so unremarkable for the cost.
(2)Jacob V.
Food: 10 Atmosphere: 10 Service: 0 I knew from the moment our waiter came to our table that this dinner would not be as enjoyable as previous times. Our waiter's name was Chris, and when he passed out the silverware, he practically threw it at us. Then, he almost whacked me in the face with a chip plate. When Chris took our drink orders, my father ordered a Diet Coke with Lime and I ordered a Dr. Pepper. When the drinks were delivered, my father got a Dr. Pepper with lemon and I got a regular Coke. What? I would like to see what he wrote down on his order form, if he did at all. My father struggled to flag down Chris, and when he told Chris about his drink, he said, "Really? You sure?" That is not how you serve people. Then it was time to order our food. I ordered chicken tacos with FAJITA CHICKEN, tomatoes, and cheese. When the food came out, I got CHICKEN FAJITAS shoved in my face. No tomatoes or cheese. Other than that fiasco, the food was very delightful. Now, when Chris went to culinary school (if he did), they apparently gave him the idea to abandon his customers after you serve their food. It took well over 15 minutes to flag him down again for the check. Then, he must've left the credit card next to the register, because it took another 15 minutes to get the card back. We did not tip. You should come here for the food, but try not to get Chris.
(2)Sylla B.
I work in the mall and had never stepped inside until my boss took me to lunch. Reading past reviews I thought I wasn't missing much. The place wasn't busy for lunch and we were greeted very kindly not only by the hostess (duh it's her job) but also by the manager. Service was very prompt and friendly. My boss was debating on a few items and the server helped her decision with some great recommendations. I was just impressed with her demeanor almost like talking to a friend. Drinks were filled with a quickness food came shortly after. We were checked on. I liked the food personally and so did my boss. All in all it was a great lunch experience.
(4)Julian C.
I am not a big fan of Mexican food but this place changed my mind completely. I've been to the ones in Dallas and the one in The Woodlands and they are all great. Always have margaritas (they are a little strong) because they are mixed perfectly and the brisket tacos are to die for. Meat is really tender and spiced perfectly. Very light and fulfilling meal.:)
(5)Andrea L.
After mixed reviews I was a bit hesitant to try this place but I'm glad I did. The brisket tacos are most likely the best taco I've ever had. Simple but So much flavor. I crave them now all the time. The cilantro rice that came with it was also delicious and cooked perfectly. Nice change from the regular rice u usually get at Mexican restaurants. I had the mambo taxi which was good but really strong. Some may take that as good others as bad. The salsa was nothing special but i enjoyed it. The chips were a bit thick I'd prefer them thinner. That's just me though. We will return. Now go try those brisket tacos!!!
(4)Cris C.
Great food, great service. Awesome location. No selection on dessert and waitress messed up our check. But the Margaritas make up for it.
(4)Anthony R.
This is a Dallas favorite that has made its way to The Woodlands. It is definitely one of my favorites. The salsa has a little bite to it. You can tell it has fresh ground tomatoes and cilantro in each bite. Definitely not Pace picante sauce. I absolutely love their queso. It is spicy. The Deluxe 57 dinner is the way to go. The enchilada sauces are heavy but so, so delicious. You can definitely taste the spices in each sauce. Service is prompt; waiters are attentive. The restaurant has a fresh and modern decor. Just be prepared ... you will pay a little more than your local hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant; however, the quality is there and the food is exceptional. I would like to see them open more restaurants in the Houston area. One recommendation ... and this is true of any restaurant in The Woodlands ... if you want a quiet time while you enjoy your meal (such as time along after a long-day, a nice date, etc.), then I would not suggest MiCocina on a Friday or Saturday evening ... families in The Woodlands bring their entire tribes to dinner ... be prepared for screaming, yelling kids running around tables while parents do not discipline their kids; babies who throw food on the floor; and spoiled obnoxious teenagers talking incessantly loud and texting on their cell phones ... I felt sorry for one waiter who had to repeatedly clean up after a toddler who threw his dinner on the ground three times and spilled a drink. The parents let the toddler continue his behavior while the poor wait staff had to clean-up. Not fair to the wait staff at all.
(5)Tim D.
The food here is truly amazing. Some of the best food I have ever had. I keep wanting to explore other restaurants but Mi Cocina is sooo amazing. It's so addicting. Get a brisket taco and mambo taxi. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant.
(5)Rob H.
I have been wanting to try Mi Cocina since they began rebuilding the space. I had a family dinner here last weekend and I must say I enjoyed myself. The space is elegantly decorated and has a fun atmosphere. It is an atypical Mexican restaurant in this respect and sets itself apart from the wide variety of Mexican/Tex-Mex establishments so common in Houston. The staff was very friendly and professional. Our server, Greg, was very good and not overbearing. He took care of us in a timely manor and left us wanting for. Itching throughout the meal. The manager was walking the floor and not only stopped by to check on us but helped to clear spent dishes. While we sat in the main dining room there is a very nice indoor-outdoor patio that will be great before the wicked Houston Summer Heat sets in. When it does they can close it in and kick on the AirCon. All in all the menu is what you would expect to find in most Mex/Tex-Mex restaurants. The price somehow reflects an average mex restaurant too which is nice for such an upscale joint! This is a great place for a group lunch/dinner, big or small. Enjoy
(4)Jason B.
So every restaurant in the woodlands mall had a tremendous wait and this place did not of Cinco de Mayo none the less. Well it is not because it is an undiscovered gem, it is because it is just not very good. The queso was awful. The retried beans were the worst I have ever had. The rest of the food was mediocre at best. I will not return and I highly doubt this place will be here in 6 months. It is a nice atmosphere and the service was fine but the food left a lot to be desired.
(2)Allyson A.
I've been to the Dallas location and their other location before it closed on Woodway. I was hesitate to try this one because of the very poor reviews. We went around 2:00 on a Saturday and were promptly seated and greeted. The restaurant wasn't busy but again it was 2:00. We were waiting on two more people but they brought us chips and salsa quickly and took our drink order. The mambo taxi margaritas are just as good as the other locations. It did take awhile to get the drinks but nothing unreasonable. The sunset enchiladas are my favorite and the Milo is a close contender. My mother-in-law did ask for a side of queso and it never came but other than that I would go back, the decor is nice, margaritas are super and the food is delicious.
(4)S J.
Good food and no complaints. Everything tasted fresh made! The complaints and negative reviews on yelp had me worried.
(4)David N.
Before a recent concert at the pavilion we decided to have a few drinks at the woodlands mall. Lucky for us it was during happy hour. They had a special for chips and queso. They had the white queso, pretty good, was supposed to come with some meat but they forgot it. As far as drinks they had their specialty drink the mambo taxi for 5 bucks. It's a frozen margarita with sangria swirled in. Packed a good punch. Two of those and I was good for the concert.
(3)Jonathan B.
If you haven't been to Mi Cocina, you should go. Having fallen in love with while we lived in Dallas, we made a point to visit this location in visiting Houston. Solid margaritas. Excellent guacamole. I can honestly say that there is only one thing on the menu that I don't like, but I even know people that exclusively order that. It is high-quality Tex-Mex.
(4)Matt M.
This place is delicious and a good value. Really enjoyed the brisket queso and Mambo Taxi margarita.
(5)Dan N.
Cheap horrible dont go.the absolute worst. Dont waste your money..it sucks
(1)G J.
I've eaten at Mi Cocina restaurants in Dallas for over20 years so I was very excited to find out one opened "near" Houston. It was a 30 minute haul but again .. excited. Sorry guys - only 3 stars .... Things that are on par with the Dallas restaurants: Look and feel of the restaurant: looks not different as one would expect. Chips and Salsa - tastes exactly the same. Not those light, 'are-these-really-made-with-corn' chips served at most chain restaurants like Chili's. What's not quite on par with the Dallas restaurants: Mambo Taxi's. They were a little to heavy on the sangria compared to the ones you get in Dallas but still good - and strong. Ernie's Chicken: same great flavors but the portion size was much smaller. Some glaring differences with the Dallas restaurants: The waitstaff: This location has a very young and noticeably non-Hispanic staff which, in my opinion, accounted for the mediocre service. I'm not sure, legally, how Mi Cocina's in Dallas gets away with hiring only Hispanic foodservers but it's a bit of a running joke around town. The service is always timely and attentive in Dallas. This location looked like they hired only freshly graduated Anglo high school students - and service was suffering for it. Not Mi Concina's problem and I'm not taking off points but I'm gonna bitch anyway: Parking is horrible. I live in an urban area so any spot that doesn't have a sign that says "No Parking" or the curb is painted red - it's a parking spot. But no, not in the Woodlands. I found a spot near the restaurant only to have a sweaty valet guy tell me I "shouldn't" park there. "looks like one to me" "well it's not. park in the lot" as he points off to the distance. I left it there. Tow me punk. I dare ya.
(3)Emily W.
Great place. Used to go to the several locations in DFW, but now we live in The Woodlands and its nice to have a familiar place.
(4)Linda T.
Wow, way overhyped! This place is is not all that it is cracked up to be. Food was mediocre, service wasn't great, the hostess was a bit rude and the food was strange, it was Mexican dishes with a different twist, maybe that's why their popular?! There are so many good Mexican restaurants in the Woodlands that are lot cheaper and tastier, I will probably not return here unless I had to.
(2)CaraMarie B.
Rico salad is the best! Always have great service at this location :)
(4)Laneta L.
My husband and I went here on a Friday for happy hour. We were seated right away, and drink order taken,but received a menu 25 minutes later with the drink. We weren't really that hungry and had great conversation, otherwise we would have left. There were 4 families with small children near us. The kids were so far out of control it was hilarious. I even video taped one child climbing into the window sill and hanging on the blind. As time passed it got worse. On the way out....two hours later we had only happy hour appetizers, I shared my videos with the manager. He was a bit horrified but like us found some humor in it. He offered to pay for half our meal. We declined and politely told him we just wouldn't be back due to the lack of servers present. Food was "just ok".
(1)CC C.
Places I've had better Tex-Mex include (but are not limited to): Europe, Asia, Africa. Places I've had worse Tex-Mex include: absolutely nowhere. This place has uninspired, uncreative, undignified fare, gussied up (if barely) with presentation and decor to try to convince you it's quality. It is categorically not. The cheese enchiladas are an embarrassment (would you like some processed goo with your processed goo?), the chips are depressing, the rice was dry, the beans were... well, I can only take their word that they are, in fact, beans, and the list goes on and on. The look of the place is nice only if you don't stare at any one spot for too long, at which point it devolves into one of those "make your dorm room look swank for only pennies!" things, the presentation is cheap (no, shiny aluminum and scraps of paper does not "fancy" make), and the waitstaff proved clueless (no less than three of the items *directly* asked about wound up being absolutely wrong, and this was even after the waitress consulted with her superior on the matter). Worst of all: it's not even Tex-Mex. If anything it is the most bored, cardboard, cookie-cutter version of what a Cali-Mex restaurant would be if it had heard of Tex-Mex once, a decade ago (and probably more) and decided, well, what the hell, might as well give it a try. Well, they tried alright, but they failed. The absolute bottom line is that this place and its food are boring, boring, boring. They aren't even phoning it in. And really that's disrespectful, if nothing else, to anyone who might wander in looking for a half-decent meal. We wound up here because all the other nearby places had waits of an hour or more, and we figured why not, how bad could it be? And it had almost no wait at all! Now, of course, I can see why... Simply dreadful.
(1)Kevin P.
Great to see a Mi Cocina in The Woodlands! We just moved from Dallas where there are Mi Cocinas everywhere - it is always a solid place to grab a family dinner. Service at The Woodlands was awesome and food was terrific too.
(5)Katie C.
i had such high expectations for this restaurant but i was disappointed the chips were lousy tasted like they came from a bag the food was horrible my boyfriend never ever complains and he ordered fajitas beef honestly there was maybe 4oz of steak i got the shrimp tacos a reccomendation from the waitress ick ick basically just shrimp with cold slaw in a taco overall expensive for plain food the ONLY good thing was the magaritas the mambo taxi it was awesome so its safe to say this will be a location for drinks only
(2)Steve M.
This place has it all, great food, great service, and great drinks! Corbin is awesome behind the bar. The Happy hour specials are a great value and mambo taxi are delicious. Any time Manny is in the building, he goes above and beyond to make our visit a memorable one, along with the rest of the staff. And to top things off they validate for parking. Winning!!
(5)Carolyn T.
Maybe it's a Dallas thing but Mi Cocina is good. Their salsa is awesome. Their taco meat is fresh and the shells are always crunchy. Their enchiladas are great - and yes it's cheddar cheese, not goo. I will say I prefer other fajitas but for tex-mex basics, yum! And yes the Mambo Taxi is delic. I hope this location can pull off the quality and get the loyal following of the ones in Dallas.
(5)Torie P.
We just moved from Dallas and I was happy to discover that this Mi Cocina was just as good as all the rest. We had an amazing waiter and were kindly greeted by the manager! Margaritas were great! I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Shana P.
Okay, this restaurant was highly anticipated for me. I have heard all kinds of great things about this restaurant in DFW area. Now, our family loves their Mexican food, so do my friends. So we quickly tried this out. I can only hope that someone that is working at The Woodlands location is reading Yelp for suggestions to make it better... 1. Bad - Queso. We tried the regular one, not the blanco. Really? What exactly was that crap? I get better queso at taco bell. It was goopy and didn't really seem like the normal queso cheese we all so love to eat around here! Go to Lupe Tortillas and give it a go - way better quality! 2. So/so - service and chips. Very fast, very attentive - almost too attentive though. It was hard to have a conversation with the number of times the waiter came over. Especially with the annoying "my pleasures." I like great service, even attentive service. HOWEVER, I want to have a meal and conversation in peace too. Maybe talk to the wait staff about giving your customers some breathing room or recognizing the signs when they need you back at the table. The chips seemed somewhat stale. I don't think they were, I think it was the type of chip they had. Most places around here have a somewhat lighter chip to offer. Maybe need to look into that. 3. Good - I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the guacamole, it was good. The beef fajitas - good quality of meat, very tender, not big on the flavor side but overall I would have them again. I had a margarita (The Dilemma) and it was quite tasty. I would almost bet that if I had the mango margarita only it would have been great too. My friend had enchiladas, I tasted her chicken one and was happy with the flavor. I am pretty certain that most of the food here is probably pretty good. I even liked the rice and beans. I rarely eat them too. To sum it all up, this restaurant needs a little work to make it stick cause I see it having an identity crisis. It has a lot of potential, but maybe needs to lay off some of the "stuffiness" and just embrace the fact that it is a regular old Mexican food place and play into that (aka - liven the joint up a bit!). If the company is really trying to step it up and go high end, then work on the food and service to make spending the money worthwhile.
(3)Manuel C.
Big fan! I love their brisket tacos the most. The white queso is not bad and chips always fresh and warm. I have also tried their tacos de camarones (Shrimp tacos) and were not bad. Being that I lived in SoCal most of my life I prefer the beer battered shrimp tacos over grilled shrimp. Service is on point and great decor/setting.
(4)Janet W.
A sneak preview of Mi Cocina in The Woodlands, TX, by invitation only, will give you a realistic depiction of our fast the food service is, and the quality of the food and service. It will never be busier than at one of these events which are usually at capacity. The food was prompt and delicious. The sauces that accompanied the dishes were great! Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu items and made wonderful recommendations to our specific tastes, yet she admitted that we were only the 2nd table she had waited on at this new restaurant. I absolutely loved it! I'm concerned that restaurants at this particular location have had a high attrition rate and I think that's more the fault of the parking situation. Although valet service is available, if you don't use the valet, it's a good stretch of the legs to the restaurant. But consistently good food and quality service should help Mi Cocina weather the test of time.
(4)Tony B.
Finally! Houston (or Woodlands actually) gets its very own Mi Cocina. I find this to be one of the best mexican chain restaurants in the DFW area. Although they don't have such a huge variety of items like Pappasito's, they definitely have the right stuff and they sure make it right. Service is excellent and the look and feel of the restaurant is awesome. It looks more like an upscale restaurant but not with the upscale prices.
(5)Mikey R.
Didn't really wow me but it also wasn't awful. Very middle of the road and the lunch menu makes it a better deal than most of the other places in town.
(3)Michael B.
This place was way to loud! Could not even talk to my wife at the table without almost having to yell. Food average at best!
(1)Stacy A.
Maybe this is a DFW thing, and I am a transplant, but I am so excited that Mi Cocina is here! This was not my favorite restaurant there, but it is my favorite here. My husband got the plate with a tamale and a cheese enchilada. It was delicious. The enchilada was covered in chile con carne and the cheese was fresh and thick, not a runney mess. The tamale was filled with spicey pork, and was homemade. I had the salad with chicken. It was very fresh and substantial. I really liked the spicey blue cheese dressing. It has a great atmosphere and service. We will be back, and we are so happy that they are in the area.
(5)Veda H.
Fantastic food but rude whiny waiter Jeff ruined our special evening. Attended a bday celebration, had reservations for 8, started out great then as we began eating the waiter asked how we wanted the tickets divided. He immediately brought them to us as he whined about his long day & was suppose to leave work "30 minutes ago"!!! We thought at first he was kidding but no! He was obviously ready for us to go but we had not had the bday cake yet! He was NO HELP in serving us so we ordered coffee by a different waiter. Jeff was openly perturbed & rude from 9:00 pm until we left. He didn't divide the tickets correctly either. It was a mess! We had to sort that out ourselves after we left. Grrrrrr! We understand waiter's schedule/tips but that is his issue to work out not ours. All 7 of us agreed to never dine here again. That's unfortunate because the restaurant was nice, the food was good, but their waiter managed to make our celebration memorable for wrong reasons.
(1)Brad V.
Average at best. The mumbo taxis are good and the brisket quesadillas are tasty. But the chips suck for a mex/tex mex restaurant and the service has been just average. The locations in Dallas seemed much better.
(3)Adam L.
I'll start with the ambience, which is quite nice and trendy so much so you forget you're in a Mexican restaurant. The service was sub par, but I feel this was not the fault of our server, but of the bar tenders and the kitchen staff. We were constantly reminded our drinks and food would be out soon. Our margaritas arrived and they were quite good. A little pricey, but this is expected in this area. The skirt steak fajitas were very unappealing looking and tasted just as bad. They were over seasoned and under cooked. The tortillas were terrible and tasted store bought. I remember thinking I'd rather have the tortillas from taco cabana. Overall I don't ever plan on coming back to this place and if I did it would be for happy hour only.
(2)Shasta P.
The food was fantastic, the service was great and the manager was very accommodating to us after having to wait a little longer than expected for our daughters meal. They bent over backwards to accommodate us and made us feel really special. The food was wonderful, the Queso was a little thin, but great flavor. The Sunset Enchiladas were delicious and the Deluxe 57 was fantastic, just like I remembered, when my husband and I went to eat at the Mi Cocina in Southlake and Fort Worth. We will be going back real soon......!!! We are glad to have them here in The Woodlands!!!!!
(5)Christina T.
Hello Mi Cocina - how I have missed you! Living in DFW for 10 years, Mi Cocina became a staple part of my diet and how I have missed Ernie's chicken and sunset enchiladas. The guacamole was excellent and the chicken mole had a very authentic flavor, but I love Ernie's Chicken. It's the best dish on the menu! The staff were so attentive and the entire restaurant was well done - you would not have done it was a Rockfish in a past life.
(5)Meredith H.
The food is awesome, the drinks are great!! Super super impressed and we have been back numerous times!!! Thumbs way up!!
(5)J W.
Not bad. Living in the Woodlands you can have your choice of many Tex-Mex Restaurants. Unfortunately, I can't say I have one go to Tex-Mex restaurant around here. They all have something redeeming, but each has their flaws. My "go to" Tex-Mex restaurants elsewhere are Cyclone Anayas in Downtown Houston and Superior Grille in Shreveport, LA. So this was my first time here and I probably will go back so that in of itself does say something good. Cons: - Queso was poor and runny (agree with the other reviewers about this) - Really? Diet cokes in cans? This type of restaurant should have a fountain soda machine. - Very slow service. Also, the waitress spilled one of our kids' Sprites on me. I don't really slight her for it since this is a very honest mistake, but it was memorable. - Prices were a bit high for the quantity of food you receive. Pros: - Outstanding chips and salsa. The chips came out hot and were thicker than I've seen elsewhere. The salsa was spicy and I liked it. - The waitress told us their most popular dish was the "Tacos De Brisket." This was very simple, but very tasty. Again, price was a little high and the quantity could have been more, but the quality impressed me. - The atmosphere was nice and a little more upscale than I would expect at typical Tex-Mex restaurant. Ultimately, it wasn't a place that blew me away, but I think it has potential. I look forward to trying it again some time if the prices don't steer me elsewhere.
(3)Emma C.
Overpriced, mediocre Tex-Mex. It's a beautiful restaurant inside, but the queso was practically inedible, the tortilla chips stale and the kids meal was one quarter of a quesadilla and about a tablespoon each of beans and rice for $6! I ordered the brisket tacos - they were salty and greasy. I had heard so much about this restaurant before it opened and I was really looking forward to trying it. I definitely won't be back.
(1)susan m.
I was really excited to try this place since I heard such great things about them from people who went to the one in Dallas. I thought the service and margarita's were very good, but the food was just OK and I wasn't impressed with their salsa. The ambience and location are nice. I would go there again, but not going out of my way...
(2)Jennifer H.
I moved here from Dallas, so I was really excited to see Mi Cocina come to the Houston area! I love this place! The mambo taxi is one of the best margaritas, especially at happy hour prices. Skip their regular queso and order the queso blanco. It is really good! The most popular item on the menu is the brisket tacos. They are delicious! My second favorite item is the shrimp chili y ajo. Another popular choice among my friends is mama's tacos with chicken. If you want to order typical tex-mex style tacos and enchiladas, I would probably go somewhere else. Stick with their specialties and you won't be disappointed! Oh, this is not a fast-food joint as stated on the yelp categorty. This is a sit-down, full-service restaurant.
(4)Andy B.
Good dedicates service. The Mojito was super. The sirloin tip fajitas was seriously out of character. Fajitas are best when made with thought an savory beef; sirloin is not. Guacamole was excellent. Price was a bit too much for Mexican.
(4)