Food: Good number of options for non vegetarian. Fewer options for vegetarian but dishes can be made vegetarian on request. Chips and salsa while we waited for our orders was nice and toasty. Everyone loved the green chile crisp. Folks noted that the food was very very authentic. Family friendly. Good taste. Prices are a little high but they are very generous portions. Burp! :) Service: Ana was our host and she was kind, gentle and patient with us. There was a slip up but she was very quick and efficient at sorting it out for us. Thank you Ana. Ambience: Nice vibes, great decor, tends to get a little full, busy and chatty. Restrooms: Clean, well maintained. read more

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Honestly I am not impressed. The place is cute but the quality of food wasn't great. We were craving Mexican food and since we came to watch a hockey game at the TCC it seemed like a good idea to try this place. They have their own parking which is a plus for a place downtown. Our waiter was incredibly nice. To start you get complimentary warm tortilla chips with salsa. We ordered sopa de tortilla, carne asada tacos and a ground beef burrito. The soup was pretty good, I loved how they added chunks of avocado to it. My tacos were not good. They don't have flour tortillas small enough for tacos so corn tortillas are your only option. The beef was chopped into small pieces that were tough and dry. The quality of meat wasn't very good. The beef burrito was wrapped in a gigantic tortilla but tasted fine. read more

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Staple of Tucson. The food is delicious and simple, small menu. Service is fast and friendly and the restaurant is authentic and rustic. Love this place. Gotta have the famous cheese crisp! read more

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We came for lunch. They had free chips and salsa and we had some Negra Modelas. I am always on the lookout for a mexican pizza and i saw that they had Cheese Crips on the menu. I ordered the Minuto Cheese Crisp with Carne Seca. It came out and it was huge, and delicious. The carne Seca tasted like carne Asada beef jerky, but not tough. I think Cheese Crisp is a Tucson thing because I have not seen in Sacramento or San Francisco. I would say that a Cheese Crisp is like a huge homemade taco bell mexican pizza. The service was good. The whole restaurant has a Mexican old school vibe. read more

El Minuto Cafe - El Minuto Crisp - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Lunch service is quick and the food is very good. Happy hours are 11:00 - 3:00 daily. We like to sit in the covered patio. My wife's go-to item is the Topopo salad. This visit I had the two tacos w/rice & beans. read more

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1, the waiter was useless, our table was wabbled, so he put a napkin under it, my wife got a margarita, and it came in a drinking glass, what, it says taco are great, tried tacos, served cold, taco bell has better, my wife food was also cold,waiter never came back to ask how everything was , , left dirty dishes on the table, will not go again, read more

This is old establishment and unfortunately it shows. The server was not as friendly as I hope. Since it was slow, I thought he would be happy to have customers in. The food did come out quickly and hot and fresh. I had ground beef tacos. We ordered cheese crisp. I don't know if the meat they use is different but did not taste well to my taste. read more

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Adorable family owned location with quaint decor. Super friendly service. We had a taco platter and menudo and both were hot, fresh and delicious. read more

I had always wanted to try this place out. It closes at 3pm so I left my hone early enough. I arrived with an hour to spare. Walking into this place is like stepping into someone's hone. I was seated with a view of the patio. There are two other rooms for diners. I had cheese enchiladas. The food came out within minutes. The service here is top notch. My meal was good but the enchilada sauce was bland. Spicy, yes, but not much more taste to it. Otherwise it was a very satisfying dining experience. The building is across the street from the convention center. I am sure this cute family restaurant gets crowded then. read more

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El Minuto has become our group's go to spot for pre-theater and hockey dining. The service is always fast and there are no shortage of tasty menu items. I almost always get the cheese enchiladas, but the mini chimis, tacos, tortilla soup and chicken topopo are also among my faves And don't forget about the cheese crisps, which I learned last visit reheat wonderfully in an air fryer. The portions are large and the prices more than reasonable. This is still one of Tucson's longstanding gems. read more

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I still love the food, but their liquor license has lapsed. No beer, wine or liquor. Do what you will with this information.

This is our go to place when we attend events at the TCC. The food is good and the service is great. They have a limited menu but still a decent selection of favorites. Even though it is still on the menu they are no longer serving carne seca. Hopefully they bring it back. We always enjoy our meal here. We were surprised to hear that they are currently operating without a liquor license, hopefully that is temporary. Overall, it's a good place to grab bite read more

Authentic Sonoran cuisine. Growing up in Tucson, this has always been my go to. Red chili con carne and cheese crisp are my favs. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Traditional and delicious plates. This location is a community staple. Anyone I've asked during my time here in Tucson, "where is one place I must go?" The one place that always came up was El Minuto. Now I know why, great environment, welcoming staff and great eatery. We ordered a few plates to get a variety of the tasting and I must say, the Albondigas soup was my favorite. Such a hearty and flavorful burst in this soup, you can taste the love poured into it. The flautas, and the chimichangas were great. Though very different in taste the tortillas were crisped and chicken (flautas) and ground beef (chimichangas) were savory and bursting through in each bite. The only dislike was we arrived an hour and 15 minutes before close (8pm), and we felt the urgency from the waiter to get our order before we can fully review and decide as if closing was near. Not sure if he was just focused on closing aspect and just wanted to order and bounce, but overall from everyone else it was pleasant and good experience. read more

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WAY too expensive now. I'm not paying anywhere $12.00 for 8 ounces of broth with 4 TINY MEATBALLS that you call a BOWL of albondigas. Make my own for less than that. Also servers are now PUSHING us to buy more when we only want a single ITEM. SO LONG you can rip other people off , IMO , but not us ever again with your sub par food. read more

This used to be one of my favorite places in Tucson. Old school Mexican food near downtown in a cool location. I was very disappointed with my recent visit. The menu seemed very limited, prices have gone way up and they no longer have a liquor license. Disappointing no beer or margaritas. They need to step up their game and either take on old school and own it or modernize. I think taking away their liquor license is a huge mistake. It seems like that would be where they're getting their profit. read more

Classic, family owned Mexican restaurant in Tucson. Nothing exceptional but everything solidly good. The albondigas was delicious.

Nice little Mexican restaurant downtown, close to the convention center and arena for a bite before a show. We had never been here despite this place being considered a Tucson gem. We were seated right away and the entire staff is very warm and friendly, I believe it is family owned and run. Had the house margaritas (okay), a bean chimichanga for me and Menudo for the hubs. Food was good, but nothing with a wow factor particularly given its Tucson and there are tons of great Mexican restaurants everywhere. Solid meal, nothing more nothing less! read more

El Minuto Cafe - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Amazing hospitality from the family that runs this joint. The crisps are a must!! It was so good with great texture and flavor. They have a lunch special so I got a topopo salad to have some greens during this trip. read more

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One of our local long lasting Mexican restaurants on the edge of Barrio Viejo and Downtown Tucson. We decided to dine here before a Roadrunner match at TCC. The restaurant inside is mostly pink walls and seems to have more tables than I remember. The place was very busy and we arrived at 5. The service was excellent, we had made a reservation and we were seated right away. Our waiter was kind and attentive. Endless chips and salsa, and their salsa is amazing! One downturn was they did not have any carne seca and may not have again until spring. Many of our friends were disappointed with that news. This particular evening they did not have any tamales. So three combination plates were offered a chicken enchilada instead. The three who ordered the combos did not mind at all and said their plates of food were wonderful, flavorful, and fresh. We had one that ordered a chicken burro enchilada style and it was a huge serving and was delicious! One ordered the shredded beef plate and said the shredded beef was flavorful and beans and rice were just like grandma's! Served with a very large tortilla which was fantastic. One order shredded beef enchiladas and they said the sauce was so good and added another flavor to the beef. I had a Topopo salad. I wish I had more tomatoes and slices of avocado. I had two half slices of tomato and one slice of avocado. The rest of the plate was shredded iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese and shredded chicken. The bean tostada underneath was delicious. The refried beans were soooo good! Their food is always consistent and delicious. They have slimmed down their menu and prices have gone up. One of the common trends when dining out these days. Overall a wonderful dinner with friends. read more

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This is one of my absolute favorite Mexican restaurants in Tucson. This restaurant has been around since 1933! It is downtown across from the TCC and has its own parking available. I love the cheese crisp with green chili 10/10! The service is always great as well. Don't forget to get an order of chips and salsa on your way out or else you'll wish you did. read more

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This place has been around since 1936 which is always a good sign. It was recommended to me by a friend so I decided to try it. We came on Xmas eve for lunch, so they were closing in an hour. We were seated quickly but the waiter came pretty quickly as if we knew what we wanted before sitting down. He brought us chips and salsa and took our drink order and brought it out immediately. We still hadn't figured out what we wanted. He brought out the silverware. My fork was dirty so he replaced it with a clean one without being told. Again he asked if we were ready to order and we were feeling rushed. We told him we needed more time. All of this happened within a few minutes. We figured out what we wanted in about 5 minutes but now the waiter had given us too much time. I kept feeling like we were annoying him because we came within an hour of closing. We finally put our order in for the chicken enchiladas. The chips and salsa were horrible. The chips tasted cold and bland and hard. The salsa was too runny and too much tomato which overwhelmed it. I read somewhere if the chips and salsa sucked that you should not expect the food to be better. Good chips and salsa are important in a Mexican restaurant to me. I was having low expectations for our entree. The entree came out pretty quickly. It looked appealing and smelled great and served hot. The waiter was nice enough to let me know the plate was hot. The chicken enchiladas themselves were delicious. Tender and moist chicken, great flavors and textures. I was so happy that it wasn't as bad as the chips and salsa. We scarfed down the enchiladas, paid up, and out the door within 30 minutes. I would go back again just knowing the chips and salsa suck but the rest of the food looks good. The crisps seemed to be popular so I might try that next time. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Chicken enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Tried them Saturday, the shredded beef tostada was delicious. My wife loved her enchiladas, beans and rice. Highly recommend.

Well, yelp calls 4 stars amazing. But I wouldn't call it that. So I went back to 3 stars. Our friends recommended meeting them for lunch. There are so Many Mexican food joints in Tucson it's hard to remember anything fantastic or memorable about any one restaurant. I will say the cheese crisp may be the only thing going on. And something that might be for me to remember this place by. The menu was just basic Mexican fare. Tacos, burritos, or burros they call them. Tostadas, enchiladas, etc. Ya know...all the basic stuff. Maybe there's a special sauce in there somewhere. Who knows it was our first time. The restaurant is small. Kinda tired worn out looking. But it has been around since 19-something. So maybe time for some upgrades. Service was fine. Will I go back?? Hmmm... read more

El Minuto Cafe - Cheese Crisp - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We were visiting from out of town and this cafe was close enough to walk and the reviews were good so we checked out their online menu and called in an order. According to the menu prices, our order totaled $35 + tax. The total came to $49+ and my husband added a nice tip. Later we wondered how the bill got so much higher. Husband called and talked to a man there who said their prices had gone up. But why don't you update your website? Seems like false advertising to me. Husband left his # so manager could call next day. No call. No follow-up. On top of that, the food was only so-so. His shredded chicken was not very good. My supposed enchilada seemed to be made of masa and I'd asked for a chicken taco and got beef which I can't eat. The red sauce was pretty good though. We have lived in the SW nearly our entire lives and we know Mexican food. Very disappointed. read more

The burrito came plain , no rice , no beans only lettuce on the side instead of in the burrito which makes no sense . The asada was burnt and dry and they didn't even have real sauce . They used the same sauce from the tortilla chips for the tacos when they're two completely different things . The enchilada sauce tasted like expired chamoy . Not even real Mexican food, no Mames read more

The food was fine. Our appetizer came after the main. Our waiter had quite the attitude. If he was so proud, he should go in to the bathrooms. With all the waiting and fanfare. I recommend a THOROUGH cleaning. The bathrooms have 50 years of grease and more. To me a clean bathroom indicates the cleanliness of the kitchen. After years of eating here, I don't think I'll be back. read more

I enjoyed the food here it taste home-cooked. I had a combination plate the taco and cheese enchilada were my favorite. The red chili sauce had a great taste my husband had red chili con varne he really enjoyed. A combo plate without rice was a little interesting you have to order it separately. The worst margarita I ever had tasted like really sweet Margarita mix with no tequila. They should remove these from the menu. The server was pretty blah. read more

Bland Sonoran Mexican food. Rushed and impolite waiters and staff acts like they really do not care if you are there or not. Overpriced tasteless food. Truly original to the Sonoran state of Mexico. Tried at lunch time. And tried at dinner time. Both occasions were same experience. They do not need my money. read more

A Tucson staple. This place is authentic. The staff was nice. The decor standard and clean. I had the flat enchiladas and omg brought some memories back. Very good. I'd you're looking for old school Mexican food in downtown, go here. read more

We hadn't been there in 20 years or more. Wasn't sure they were open, however they are still open! Service was very attentive and food was marvelous, especially the cheese crisp with green chili s and shredded beef! Now that we are back in Green Valley, we will certainly repeat! read more

Food, service, price were excellent. The food was not over complicated which really allows for the taste of the tortillas to come through, as they were not buried under too many condiments. read more

This is my kind of place. Mom and pop hole in the wall. Family run since 1936. Great food and service. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Where you can get a huge lunch for 9.99 in 2024, here! And, I'm talking stuff yourself full!!! Absolutely delicious authentic Mexican. Clean restaurant, friendly staff, warm fresh tortilla chips and salsa as soon as we sat. Bottomless drink refills. This gem is a must visit. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Look at this price!!! What a deal. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We enjoyed the food and service was very good. This historic place has a great family atmosphere.

Decided to try out a new spot today. Well let me tell you...... I have never been disappointed in a Mexican restaurant in the way I'm feeling right now. Service was ok. Quality of the plate I ordered was horrible! No flavor to the rice. My crispy tacos had no flavor and looked like they came from Jack in the box. I'd rather have gotten 2 tacos from there I don't think I will be back. Not impressed at all! read more

El Minuto Cafe - Lunch special: crispy tacos - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Oh the Cheese Crisps were so bomb! You seriously owe it to yourself to check out El Minuto. Service was awesome, I felt like I was at a friend's house for a family meal. Great margarita pitcher. Super vintage ambiance starts at the wood front door. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Cheese Crisps: Carne Seca front, Green Chile back - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I've eaten here several times over the years. I've never been disappointed by the food, service or the ambiance. The only complaint is parking. It's just the location. They can't help that the city has grown around them. Planning another visit tomorrow after church. read more

At my grandson's request, we went for his birthday dinner. It's a family favorite. He asked me to leave a 5 star review and I'm happy to do that. It was my first time there in some time due to COVID but was glad to go back. They still have a reduced menu but plenty of good choices. The chips and salsa were a nice start and the chips were thin and crisp-very nice. I had the carne seca plate which was great. It came with beans, rice and a flour tortilla. The tortilla was especially good and the carne seca had onions and green peppers. It was nicely seasoned and I really liked it. It took awhile to get the food but they checked back to refill chips, salsa and water. The waitress was pleasant. Overall we all enjoyed the meal. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Carne seca plate - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I haven't eaten here in years. Friend and I went there after the Gem Show for a late lunch. The place hasn't changed. And it was super busy with all the U of A students and Gem Show shoppers. I was surprised when we were seated immediately. Within two minutes, we had a server asking for our drink orders. Then chips and salsa showed up following our drinks. Quick service! We ordered off the lunch menu (Topopo Salad for me, Caldo de Queso for friend. While waiting for our food, we were given refills on drinks, chips and salsa. The food arrived and was the same as the last time I ate at El Minuto; consistency is their key. The place was noisy but that was to be expected with all the customers. We were never rushed. The food is typical good mexican restaurant food. The key to their success is quick service and very polite servers. There's no lengua, buche, etc. but then most people who don't live in the southwest wouldn't appreciate or order it. I'll go back. read more