KNOXVILLE, Tenn -- The eatery with the failing grade is in Monroe County. It's the lowest health inspection score we've reported this year. The grade is a 56 at Cielito Lindo Mexican Grill ... on Highway 411 in Vonore. A grade of 69 and below is considered failing. There has not yet been a follow-up inspection. "Food temperatures were unsafe in cooling equip, raw chicken was at 63 degrees where 41 in the minimum safe temperature to prevent foodborne illness." READ MORE HERE: https://www.wate.com/news/food-for-thought/chicken-and-tomatoes-tossed-at-vonore-restaurant/ read more

Seems to be family owned- operated, since 2010. Recently remodeled. Decent chips - salsa. Shared spicy shrimp dinner & chicken enchiladas- large portions. All tasted good. Good service . Semi unprofessional- watching servers eat fresh cut watermelon at entrance- dropping portions on floor - read more

Food and drinks are always good and plentiful. Love the decor. Staff is friendly and polite.

My wife and I have eaten here several times and I can't believe I haven't left a review. This restaurant is very good. The restaurant is very clean and the service is amazing. The food has plenty of flavor and the portions are good size. I had the tom special and would recommend it to anyone with a big appetite. read more

Cielito Lindo - Beef chimichangas - Mexican Near Me - Vonore, Tennessee

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Stopped here on our way back to Georgia from Gatlinburg thanks to YELP! Loved the review "best Mexican food, but you have to go to Vonore" Good service, cute decor and really good food. I got the Special of the day called "Burrito San Jose!" ~ super delicious. I rarely order burritos, it sounded (and was) so good - grilled steak, shredded pork with chorizo and white cheese on top served with beans and rice! I'm adding this to my Yelp favorite stops around Gatlinburg collection. read more

Cielito Lindo - Cute entrance - order the special! - Mexican Near Me - Vonore, Tennessee

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We had a group of 8 a few weeks ago...the staff was very accommodating and very polite - food orders came out quickly. The guac is fabulous! I had the Michoacan (delicious) and good portions. Today we are ordering to take out so I can work my way through the substantial menu... read more

There was no service- sat and waited 5 min for chips and another 15 min and still hadn't seen our waitress. No drinks- nothing. They were not that busy. We got up and left. Not a good first impression. read more

Great place Food was excellent, fresh and plentiful Service was friendly, quick and accurate Place was hopping which tells me that people love it and keep coming back as Will we Restaurant itself was clean and brightly decorated. Reminded me of some of my favorites I visited when I lived in Houston read more

Coming from a CA town with 15 Mexican places to choose from, I was obviously skeptical about the one Mexican restaurant in Vonore. After going several times, it is safe to say Cielito Lindo fills the void. The curb appeal is unassuming being in a strip mall, but the inside is bright and colorful, reminiscent of an Old Town, San Diego restaurant. The salsa is chunky with a bit of heat. The meat (chicken, carnitas, beef, even shrimp) is well cooked and usually well seasoned. The sides look and taste pretty typical. I would avoid the white sauce, as it is way too thick and creamy to really be considered a queso, and usually overpowers whatever dish it's on. The service is hit or miss. You will either get a server who is extremely attentive or one who wants to usher you right out the door. Overall, not a bad place for no other nearby options. read more

Quantity over quality. Management seats parties even if server can't handle it. The food was sloppy. Missing items that we ordered, that was still on the bill... Waitress didn't seem to care about us. We had empty drinks while we ate. Food is hit or miss and so are the servers. They don't care about quality at all. read more

I like the restaurant, clean and neat, service is fast but not real friendly. The food is pretty good, I'd be back for sure. I liked the salsa and chips. I had fajitas, super tasty! read more

Just went with my daughter and granddaughter, they sit us at 2:04pm at 2:25pm nobody came to ask for anything not even water.

Immaculate restaurant with fantastic food , I had the chicken enchiladas, (3) they came with freshly baked nachos and a tangy salsa, the waitress :, Sandra, was very nice and very fast , bringing out my entree before I knew it . All in all one of the best Mexican restaurants in Tn certainly in Vonore . I will come again. , Dos Equis on tap served in a chilled mug and fresh coffee completed my amazing meal read more

The real deal in Mexican food! The carnitas tacos were amazing.. tender& flavorful meat, grilled tortillas & pico de Gallo, fresh avocado & pickled jalapeño! The chicken arroyo special was fantastic.. the amount of moist chicken was amazing. Will try the molcajete next visit. Like a visit to Mexico City! read more

Great service and great food the margaritas are made with much love. There's plenty of seating for larger groups. read more

this mexican style restaurant is a great place to have a mexican style dinner. the service was 10/10 really the decor was really nice. the chips and salsa were amazing 10/10. I also recommend the burritos deluxe 2 burritos steak and ground beef with refired beans tastes amazing 10/10 read more

This was an unplanned visit as we were shopping next door. First impressions from the outside didn't appeal to me. It's a strip mall. However walking in, I was surprised and I felt welcomed into my culture. The Mexican decor you find brings the ambiance of Mexican food. I was not disappointed. I'm a former Californian with the pallet of Mexican food from San Diego, Chula Vista and Tijuana. Immediately served hot chips and salsa that were oh so good. I ordered the crunchy tacos known in Tennessee as the fried tacos. And to my surprise I got Rolled Tacos that I've been craving since I moved here. The refried beans and rice are just like my Mom use to make. Pair this up with a margarita and you've just had a great dining experience. Our server Eufronio was attentive and served us well. Price was excellent. We are coming back. read more

Cielito Lindo - Crunchy Tacos, 2 beef & 2 chicken, Rice and Beans. - Mexican Near Me - Vonore, Tennessee

Nice atmosphere and full bar. Food was good and well priced. I ordered the fajita steak Chimichanga and a 32 oz Dos Equis for $23. Could have been fried a bit more and wasn't a huge fan of the cheese sauce, but overall it was good. Would definitely eat here again. read more

Cielito Lindo - Steak fajita Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Vonore, Tennessee

We have enjoyed fabulous meals and service the past two evenings. What impressed me most was the receptionist making sure we were seated quickly, and watching out to ensure we were served promptly. This evening, she noticed our waitress, who was working very hard serving customers, hadn't yet delivered our dessert, so she went and brought it to our table. That kind of outstanding service, along with good food at a great price, makes this a must go to restaurant! read more

Great spot to grab some Mexican food! Both the food and service are really good. Our group of 12 ate here recently and had a fun experience. They have amazing margaritas! Nachos, arroz con pollo, enchiladas, tacos, burritos - I think most menu items were covered among or group, and everyone left full and happy. read more

Love this restaurant. Margaritas are great and food as well. Love their fajitas. The staff is always so welcoming.

Cielto Lindo is a real find for travelers and a go to place for the locals. We travel to our home in Vonore every weekend and our go to place for dinner on the way through Vonore is Cielito Lindo. Service is warm and friendly. The Tortola chips and salsa show up warm and with a smiling person eager to take your drink order. My go to is dark dosEquis tall and the California. Burrito - in the three years we have dined here I've yet to have a complaint. If you do the math that is 150 visit, can't say that about too many places. The fajitas are my second choice but my wife's first choice. It's all good, hot, fresh and served by multiple servers all with a smile. Friends who visit us at our lake home all go home and rave about this place. Do yourself a favor drop by say Hi to Edgar, grab a dark DosEquis and a burrito and then tell your friends. read more

Stopped by after a hike at the Fort and were happy with the choice. Ample portions. We ordered fajitas for two which were delicious and provided enough leftover for two more meals! read more

Food is ok, I've been there several times. The last visit the service was so bad we won't return. Server came to take a drink order and never returned to take an order for the meal, even after asking the hostess why she hadn't returned. Still nothing - we left. Hostess comped us for the drinks because of the service. Too many other good places to eat that are better - go elsewhere. read more

We went to Cielito Lindo in search of decent Mexican food in the region. We ordered five meals from the menu so we could try a variety. So good!! The steak rancheros was my least favorite, but the quesadilla... I didn't know a quesadilla could be so good. We also had the taquitos, chimichangas, shrimp cocktail, and horchata. They did not disappoint! The environment reminded me of a place you'd actually see in Mexico, lots of vibrant colors, and excellent service. read more

Cielito Lindo - Coctel de Cameron, steak rancheros, chimichanga de pollo, taquitos mexicanas, quesadilla rellano. - Mexican Near Me - Vonore, Tennessee

As someone who grew up eating authentic Mexican food, I really enjoy this restaurant. The only constructive advice I would give is to PLEASE stop adding that white cheese sauce to your dishes unless it's requested! A good blend of shredded Mexican cheeses would go a long way and not drown out the flavors of the delicious food! read more

Large menu, good food, great prices, fun fun place to spend with friends! Staff so friendly.

Coming from Southern California we thought we'd miss our favorite Mexican restaurants. Nope! With Cielito Linda here we are happy campers! Food is as good or better than our favorites we left behind! read more

I strongly urge anyone to visit this restaurant at least once! Tucked away in Vonore, TN mostly only locals know about it, but it's well worth the drive from West Knox, Maryville, Sweetwater! Luckily we live less than a mile away and eat here at least once a week and have yet to get burned out because we usually try something different each time and each time they knock it out of the park. Friendliness, cleanliness, speed is second to none, definitely a hidden jewel in East TN! Lastly I'll give you my two go to dishes, the pollo fundido is grilled chicken topped with cheese fajita style on a sizzling skillet and the Mocajete Lava Rock...Steak, Chicken, Shrimp, and Chorizo served in a lava rock bowl with grilled veggies and cheese. read more

Cielito Lindo - Mocajete Lava Rock - Mexican Near Me - Vonore, Tennessee

Best Mexican food around. Best people too! The decor is so fun. Very colorful. We go here about once a week because it is so much fun and the food is great and affordable. read more

This was my first time visiting Celito Lindo. The decor is fun and vibrant. My food was excellent. My server did a great job remembering all the small details. They started getting busy around 12:30 p.m. The only complaint I have was feeling rushed to order a drink before my butt hit the booth. Other than that my visit was wonderful. I highly recommend you try Celito Lindo. My dish was a little over 15.00. The portion was generous I took home leftovers. read more

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Great little Mex place. Good food and good service. It can get busy especially Friday and Saturday as it is one if only a few restaurants in the area. I recommend it. Try the carnitas extra crispy. read more

We were pleasantly surprised the first time we visited Cielito Lindo. A slice of Mexican cuisine a long way from home. Large portions, great flavor and a bustling atmosphere. read more

Always a great choice. Food never disappoints. Do have to wait at times, but everyone is very friendly and happy to help.

Mediocre, overpriced, run of the mill southern small town strip mall "authentic" Mexican restaurant. Bland, soggy food that falls apart. I've had better mexican food at Taco Bell. read more

Great food and great service! I always get the fajitas and ACP. Both are really good. The guacamole is fresh and the salsa is just right.

Good Mexican food and margaritas. Great service and can accommodate large groups of people which is nice when you have guests in town to visit. read more

Loved this spot! The food was excellent! Service was also fantastic! I will definitely be coming here every time I am in town.

Celito Lindo is A place to go for a really good Mexican food. The portions are good the food in the atmosphere are great and it is close to our home so that's a plus. read more

Had a wonderful late afternoon lunch. We are new to the area so this was our first visit and we will definitely return. Food was really tasty and fresh. Service was great. I had taquitos and husband had combination with enchiladas and tamales. We really enjoyed everything we tried. We're planning another visit. read more