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    Elvira's

    3.9 (487 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Elvira's Photos

    ELVIRA'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Elvira's

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    Cocktail time
    Rusty F.

    Amazing! Simply Amazing. The "heaven in a glass" margaritas out of this world, their Chili relleno is to a must... seriously delicious! The service is always friendly and the eclectic decor sets the stage for an elegant experience. We love dining here.

    Main dining area
    Laurie C.

    We love the fairytale atmosphere of Elvira's with a fantasy teardrop glass ceiling, large groupings of candles, and wine displays. It's plush and elegant. The food is above average, though pricey. The service was fast and efficient. A fun place to visit during the Tubac Festival of the Arts!

    Chile Frida Kalh
    Treena C.

    In the movie "Groundhog Day" the main character wakes up and relives the same day over and over again. If that happened to me, the amazing day I visited Elvira's is the day I would want to repeat again and again. Everything was so perfect and breathtakingly beautiful. Perfect service, lovely people, the most delicious and well plated food, and a great tequila menu. We made a reservation and arrived a little before our table was ready. Just walking into the restaurant is an epic experience. The decor is absolutely magical with glass bulbs hanging from the ceiling and regularly changing colors. A long table in the middle featured large candles with melted wax overflowing. I felt like a tourist in a big city, just starring at everything and trying to take it all in. We found seats at the bar, which is in the back of the restaurant. They have a hefty tequila menu with a variety of price differences. I love that they list each tequila they offer with the corresponding prices. I wish all restaurants did this. We met some nice locals that are regulars. We even had the opportunity to meet the owner who seems to be there quite a bit. Our table was ready quickly and we were seated. Our server was fantastic, but I did forget his name. He knew every dish like the back of his hand, and gave great advice. He made the evening perfect. We started with taquitos. Sounds boring and like frozen food right? Not here! They were so tasty! Taquitos will never be the same for me. For dinner we had the Rib Eye Azteca and the Chile Frida Kalh. Absolute perfection. And both dishes were plated beautifully. We ate as slowly as we could to relish all of the flavors. I was a little too full for dessert, but I also did not want to leave, so we had the flourless chocolate cake and it was divine. The restaurant is on one side of the building and then a gorgeous interior design store is on the other. We went back the next day to look around. I hope to get back to Elvira's soon, because this really was the best experience.

    Melissa L.

    Elvira's has been on my bucket list for years now. It's one of the most raved about restaurants on this side of town and has been open since the 1920s (moved from Nogales to Tubac). Finally had the chance to come for a late lunch this Saturday. I'd highly recommend making a reservation if you are coming at peak lunch or dinner hours. With a reservation we got right in at 1:30pm but it was crowded. But again if you go off hours you should be okay, by the time we were leaving at 2:30pm/3pm it was pretty dead. The restaurant is visually stunning 10/10 for decor and ambiance. They have hundreds of hanging icicles in all different colors hanging from the ceiling. It's seriously stunning and beautiful. This restaurant is Instagram worthy. We sat by the bar and it was a comfortable experience. Service was pretty good. Our waiter I forgot his name was lovely and very personable. He was sweet and attentive when he could be, he also juggled making cocktails. Good vibes and friendly. There were tiny shortcomings like forgetting to bring us water refills when we asked but again little, he made up for it with his friendless and he definitely makes a good drink. The menu has a large cocktail and bar selection. This is definitely a good spot to stop in for a drink. I had just their classic Margarita and it was heavenly. Super lime flavored like I would normally want. 5/5 for cocktails for sure, my table was happy. The food menu in my opinion didn't outright speak to me at first. It was a little hard to pick. I'd say their primary focus is chile rellenos, moles, and shrimp dishes. While they looked good many looked spicy so was hard for me to choose. Ended up going with their flat iron molcajete dish which definitely had some spice for me with the salsa verde but it was still really good. Aside from the meat I loved the nopales and cheese inside. Nice little side of beans and tortillas too, would rate a 4.5/5. My friends were all happy with their meals as well. It's safe to say this is slightly more upscale Mexican food. You aren't going to find tacos and such on the menu. It's also a little pricy but the prices matches the ambiance and atmosphere. Cocktails are close to $20 a pop and the meals range $35-40 each. So most of us paid $50-$60 for our lunch. Not cheap but a good experience and so good id come back. Lastly, Elvira's has an awesome home goods store next door. Stunning bar ware and furniture and art. It's a miracle I got out of there without dropping more $$ but definitely worth checking out, especially if you liked the glasses and such in the restaurant.

    Menu
    Brian K.

    For those who love the artist community of Tupac, AZ only for its galleries, bakeries, cowboy photo dealers, cozy B&Bs, country grocery stores, and paddocks of horses, donkeys, & goats, you should discover Elvira's -- an upscale Mexican grill nervy enough (busy enough?) to serve fresh fish in the middle of the desert. Its extraordinary food is as fearless as its gobsmacking decor. Our cute goth hostess set the tone for restaurant's surprises -- an eye chart of a menu, the dripping Rocky Horror candle altar, and Mexican wrestling masks where you least expect them. One entree, the Chilis en Nogada comes plated in the colors of the Mexican flag. This showstopper is a savory pepper stuffed with meat, nuts, and fruit alongside a subtle walnut sauce & tangy pomegranates. Did I say the service was impeccable? It's not cheap but you will not forget your experience there.

    Savannah R.

    A hidden gem located in the tiny town of Tubac, nestled near the back among the few establishments they have. I say gem, because the ambiance of this place unlike any other. Immediately upon entry, you're blown away by the dramatic decor that surrounds the restaurant. Hundreds & hundreds of glass fixtures suspend from the ceiling, w/ special lighting reflecting on them, that allows them to change color every few minutes. Make your way around to the back, and suddenly you're in a beautiful one of a kind furniture & decor store. We came for dinner on a Saturday night without reservations, and were immediately seated by the very friendly hostess. Our female server was extremely rude, and was completely taken a back by her snobby attitude. Any question I had about the menu, she gave short, rude answer and basically felt like "I should've known the answer to this". Not the kind of behavior I would expect for mid-semi upscale restaurant. Anyways, let's get to the food! They provided "chips" and salsa which was actually just a few basic tostadas...salsa was a green tomatillo, very subtle but with flavor. I had the Chile Relleno in chipotlè creamè sauce and it was really good! Very flavorful and you could taste the very rich broth of the roasted tomatoes and suiza used to make this. It came with a side of rice and beans, the rice was hard & flavorless and the beans were 100% from a can...didn't even look appetizing in the slightest. My mom had the Frida Kahlo which was also a chilè relleno which is stuffed with assorted vegetables similar to calabacitas made with a chipotlè bean sauce apparently. But it too was really good & loaded with flavor, but her side of rice also lacked flavor. Overall, I do see myself returning if I'm ever in the area, but now I know what to expect. I hope they better train their servers & they work on their side dishes, as there is certainly much room for improvement. Honestly only thing bringing me back here is the ambiance.

    Chips and salsa
    Kayla N.

    This restaurant was really neatly decorated and the shop on the side was full of art and glass work. We were super excited to try the restaurant, but I have to say the hostess was super cold and rude and made our experience very weird. She told us we basically only had 40 minutes until she needed our table back and she kept asking every guest if they had a reservation upon them walking in. Not a hi, or a hello or a welcome... It was definitely strange and why I'm rating this at 3 stars. HOWEVER, our server was super nice and the service after the fact was great. Salsa and food were delicious and we loved the addition of pumpkin seeds on the guac.

    Maiko K.

    First of all, absolutely gorgeous decor!! Beautiful ambience. It took a while to be served after we sat down but once the server came, everything went smooth. I didn't get his name but he was very proper and provided service like a 5-star restaurant. As for food, I came here for their mole. Okay the mole was good but their Steak was AMAZING!!!!!! So good I forgot to take a picture Had a flan for dessert. It wasn't too sweet and just perfect to finish off the meal. Overall great dining experience!

    My favorite dish, don't know what it is called, but it is wonderful!

    Great food, pretty good service, can be intermittent. Beautiful rooms. Great drinks ! A must for out of town guests!

    Inside the dining room.
    Steve V.

    We found ourselves passing by Tubac when my wife was listing off places we could go have a late lunch. When she mentioned Elvira's, I took the next exit and turned around. It had been in the back of my mind for months and this was the golden opportunity. The ambiance was nothing short of stellar. It didn't feel like I was anywhere near the desert, but in some other world. Now to the food. The mole was the best I've ever had. Hands down. The chicken was juicy and tender and the mole was very flavorful and a joy to eat. I look forward to going there again or taking out of town guests there for a taste of heaven.

    Decor
    Libby G.

    This is a beautiful Mexican restaurant! Lots of ambiance. Pricey but the lovely decor and the focus on higher scale food made it worth it. I went there for the moles and ended up ordering the tongue with two sauces so I could sample more than one. Before the entrees arrived 3-4 fried tortillas and salsa was on the table. My friend was delighted to see chili en nogado as a specialty entree. This savory sweet stuffed pepper doused in a cream sauce is a specialty dish that is hard to find. Theirs was well done snd s lovely presentation.The portions are not huge which allows you to order an appetizer or dessert. The only disappointment was we were told only one dessert was made in house.

    Mole with chicken

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    4 months ago

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    30 days ago

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    1 month ago

    Great, authentic Mexican restaurant that is always a treat to go to. The food, service and ambiance are all top notch.

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    7 months ago

    The food is ok but I've had better Mexican food. The staff were friendly. I just didn't like the atmosphere.

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    9 months ago

    I went here before and service was great as well as the decor. I would definitely visit here if I were in Tubac.

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    10 months ago

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    Elvira's Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Elvira's

    What are beer costs, prefer draft not bottled?

    Well , based on bottled , I would guess 8.00. The house margarita is special here.

    Do you have a vegan menu or options for vegans? Your Chile Poblano “Frida Kahlo” (of course without cheese or crema) sounds like it would be a wonderful dish adapted vegan. Is it to0 difficult to modify or do you have other things available? THX!

    What is the corkage fee?

    I don't think they allow outside liquor or wine They have a fab bar

    Do they allow dogs on the patio?

    Yes. At least I have seen dogs there in the past .

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    People searched for Mexican 287 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Soto's PK Outpost - Burro con chile

    Soto's PK Outpost

    3.2(149 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    This Mexican restaurant is off Camino Otero & Burruel St…read more Tubac, Arizona Upon entering, I noticed how big this Mexican restaurant is it's very charming & beautiful! There is seating inside and out side. This Mexican restaurant is super clean , their restrooms, it's highly organized & with attention to details! We were seated by our lovely waitress LuLu. I love that they have so much to choose from and their price points are spot on! Lulu asked us if we had any questions and we did, she answered them all beautifully. We order Picadillo Served with rice, beans tortillas, combination 2 chicken enchiladas and substitute an extra enchilada full price cause I didn't want the taco they were more than happy to fix it, I was happy she could do that for me, along side rice and beans, beef Chimichanga, 2 chicken enchiladas combination with beans and rice. Oh my goodness they have great portions here!! Everything was super delicious!! We were also got dessert 2 Flan, they were so delicious!! This is Real Authentic Mexican Food & it's Terrific! Lulu & Ara were so polite, sweet, kind, caring, super down to earth. They both have this positive upbeat energy about themselves that really radiates! These are your rarest Diamonds! There shine never fades!! Please treasure them greatly!! I would like to Thank Soto's PK Outpost & their staff for a wonderful visit! I would especially Love to Thank Lulu & Ara for making our visit so Memorable! I'll tell all my Family & Friend to come and visit!! Please be kind and courteous to these hard workers!

    A f as drastic escape from a busy world! We love their…read moremargaritas and all their food is so delicious Today our wait staff (Aricely) was wonderful giving us amazing service!!! This place is da bomb ! Go try it

    Photos
    Soto's PK Outpost - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    Soto's PK Outpost - Rice and beans. Best I've ever had.

    Rice and beans. Best I've ever had.

    Soto's PK Outpost - Artwork

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    Artwork

    Habanero’s - Battered fish tacos with beans and rice

    Habanero’s

    3.4(153 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    The best part of Habañero's was our server, Hada. She made our dining experience perfect. We live…read morein Tubac and had heard it was under new management so we decided to check it out and was pleasantly surprised. We stopped by to check out their Happy Hour and ordered the Calamari and it was outstanding. The sauce was one of the best we'd had in a long while. We also had the chips and salsa which were also VERY good. We told all our friends about it and the amazing service we received from our waitress/hostess Hada. We also met the new owner and he was nice and welcoming and invited us back. Our experience on our second visit, however, was not as amazing. We brought friends with us to treat them to the Calamari and it was just okay. When expressed our disappointment with the Calamari sauce, we were informed that they had changed cooks. We wanted to drum up business for the restaurant but the Calamari sauce was rather disappointing and not as crispy as our first visit. The salsa was also sub par. The best part of our experience was again, having Hada as our server. We try to support ALL the local businesses and restaurants in Tubac as much and as often as we can. We understand that any new restaurant goes through growing pains and hope that this second visit was just a bad day. Hopefully, the next time we go the food will be as good, if not better, as our first visit. We want them to succeed and WILL give them another try in the New Year.

    Be informed that the name has changed and the food is not great…read more Weirdest chicken Caesar ever with big hunks of onion and tomatoes. Husband had fish and chips which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer. No tartar sauce. His chili seemed like it was canned. Don't waste your money. It should've been a red flag when we were there at lunch time and were hardly any people inside.

    Photos
    Habanero’s - Outside of the restaurant

    Outside of the restaurant

    Habanero’s
    Habanero’s - Cadillac margarita

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    Cadillac margarita

    Old Tubac - Shrimp tacos

    Old Tubac

    2.5(4 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    This place is great! We travel to Tubac once a year (hopefully will be more than that this year)…read morefor a golf tourney and luau at the Old Tubac Inn. We look forward to the luau every year. The owner, Jim, is a laid-back guy who makes everyone feel like they are at home. The bartenders and servers are so friendly and so good. Bartender Steve is fast and pours a mean drink! They all interact with each other as if they were all related which in turn makes everyone surrounding them feel as if they are part of the family. The food is always great and consistent. We scored 3 or 4 pigs this year for the luau. The side dishes were perfectly complementary. On the way out of town we stopped for lunch. We settled on the burger with cheese and bacon (yes, a little hungover we were...). Other than the fact that we should have ordered the larger burger they hit the spot! The only downfall is they have Pepsi instead of Coke, but that's just personal preference. If you are ever in Tubac, you must stop by. Check out the pics and history documented on the walls and say HI to Jim for us!

    This place was terrible. We all got stomach aches, my poor brother got food poisoning. The burgers…read morewere over cooked, the mushrooms were raw on my mushroom/swiss burger. Our onion rings, which came out after our meal, were so oily you could see through them. They all fell apart when you picked them up. I will never go back to this place. The health department should pay this place a visit. From what I could see of the kitchen, it was disgusting.

    Photos
    Old Tubac - Hot wings!

    Hot wings!

    Old Tubac - Nachos with Green Chiles. Awesome!

    Nachos with Green Chiles. Awesome!

    Old Tubac - Special steak sandwich with green hatch chilies

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    Special steak sandwich with green hatch chilies

    La Roca - Combination

    La Roca

    4.4(106 reviews)
    20.5 mi
    $$

    We did a quick little breakfast trip across the border with my girlfriend and my dog and ended up…read moreat La Roca - such a beautiful spot. Walking in honestly feels like stepping into a hacienda. There's a gorgeous fountain in the center and a mix of seating areas - some more loungy if you're just having drinks, others perfect for coffee or a full breakfast. There's even an upper level with a bar-style balcony, which is where we sat, and it was such a great view. They are dog-friendly in the outdoor areas (I had mine in a stroller), and the staff could not have been more accommodating - they even helped me carry her up the stairs. Service overall was amazing. We had multiple servers checking on us, which just shows how well staffed and attentive they are, especially since it was pretty busy with the buffet crowd. We heard their buffet is really good, but we weren't quite that hungry, so we ordered off the menu. I got the huevos rancheros, and I'm not kidding - the beans alone made the whole trip worth it. I don't know what they're doing back there, but they need to keep doing it. The eggs and red sauce were also so good. My girlfriend got the chiles rellenos, and just watching her cut into them with that perfect cheese pull told me everything I needed to know - she confirmed they were delicious. The decor is beautiful and full of Mexican culture, the space feels really inviting, and overall it was just such a great experience. If you're in Nogales and want something nice without going too far into the city, this is literally right across the border and absolutely worth it.

    Great ambience exceptional service coupled with the best margaritas and over the top…read moreDelicious food!

    Photos
    La Roca - Outdoor lounge vibes

    Outdoor lounge vibes

    La Roca - Chile rellenos with rice and beans

    Chile rellenos with rice and beans

    La Roca - Better than water...

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    Better than water...

    Elvira's - mexican - Updated May 2026

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