This has got to be one of the most "authentic" Mexican restaurants in Syracuse area, but please take the word "authentic" for what it's worth around here. Coming from a Mexican neighborhood growing up, I understand what it is like to be surrounded by options upon options of Mexican restaurants until you have actual difficulty figuring out what to choose from. This place serves Mexican food, but with some American style. You will not find horchata being constantly stirred in plastic containers here. You won't find things like ceviche or birria (goat stew). And mostly, to my disappointment, you won't find tacos served "al carbon," that is grilled with the characteristic fresh ingredients of cilantro, caramelized onion, and lime juice. They'll serve the meats like carne asada, grilled chicken, etc. however I wished that my taste buds experienced what this place markets itself to be. The ambiance and music was a nice touch and continues to keep me coming, however I wish that this restaurants embodies what it tries to be even more -- a Mexican restaurant with Mexican feel but with more Mexican taste. read more

Awesome food and incredibly nice staff. I have been coming here for years and the prices are always reasonable. It doesn't look like much from the outside and is a little broken down on the inside, but its the best Mexican food I have had in the area. read more

I have been an avid La Cocina fan since the first day they opened (seriously). Amazing service, great prices and the best (complimentary) chips and salsa that I have ever had! Their chicken is cooked perfectly and their staff are very friendly and personable. You can also find coupons in all local Clipper Magazines and coupon booklets! read more

Definitely recommend. A+ food and service. Very tasty! I ordered the shrimp quesadilla. It had slightly too much cheese but overall very good and filling. The complimentary nachos and salsa were delicious appetizers. The restaurant is quaint and the service is fast and courteous. read more

La Cocina - Chimicheescake - Mexican Near Me - Chittenango, New York

Their food is 5 star, the only reason that gave them 4 starts is the atmosphere. It's very simple and far away from a fancy shiny restaurant. but the food is very good and the staff are friendly and nice. The most authentic Mexican food that you can get in this area. I usually go there for lunch cause it's sort of close to where i work. You'll be served with basket of nachos and tasty salsa as you get there. Their salsa is medium hot and tasty. Their salsa is more like blended and ingredients are not minced or sliced; that's the only thing that you may not like about this salsa. There are lots of options on the lunch menu. price is fair and food quality is as good as a home made. I took some Mexican friends over there who where in US for visit and they said it's a good authentic Mexican food. read more

The food and service was very good. The food is very authentic and not Americanized. We had the special diner for two, which included chalupa, burrito, chile relleno, tamal, encchilada and tacos. It was all very good. The ambience isn't the greatest but we were here for the food. read more

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A very nice addition to the village of Chittenango. The Mexican food here is very good and very inexpensive. They opened in late November and we have been here several times already. The service is fast, the atmosphere is good and the staff is very attentive. If you are in the hunt for a good Mexican restaurant in Upstate NY (I know its like looking for bigfoot) La Cocina is worth your time. read more

We visited La Cocina on a hot Friday night - the place was pretty full but we were seated immediately. The food is typical American-Mexican fare but quite tasty. The guacamole "dip" was a bit disappointing as it wasn't the chunky guac that we expected but was more of a creamy dip. It was good but not exactly what we'd hoped for. As noted, no liquor license which did not bother us but I overhead several other dinners complaining about it. read more

We stopped by La Cocina last night for the first time. It's hard to find decent Mexican food in this part of the country, but this place was delicious. My wife got the Carnitas, which she liked a lot, and I got the Chile Burrito Verde which I liked very much as well. When you sit down you get chips and house made salsa. We both thought the salsa was very good. The interior of the place is filled with some booths and tables that are a little run down, but we didn't go to lounge, we went to find good food, which we found. So, I'd probably give three stars for the furnishings etc. and five stars for the food - so that averages out to the four stars. read more

La Cocina - Chili Burrito Verde - Mexican Near Me - Chittenango, New York

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Had a hankering for Mexican while staying at a friend's house in Chittenango. Staff was fun and friendly, seated right away w/o a reservation. Ordered the Queso con Chorizo. Always good there with the fresh tortilla chips and salsa in another bowl. Ordered the chicken Chimichangas-they were really good. I don't much like refritos and I forgot to ask for rice instead....so did the waitress. Really the only thing wrong and admittedly part my fault. She was fun and talkative but not overly so. Seemed genuinely interested in chatitng with us. So, when it comes to Chittenango, yes, you can get decent Mex food there! read more

We love this restaurant!! We eat here almost weekly and the wait staff know our order from memory!! Amazing meals for kids and very accommodating staff!! Itis always the best service and the best food. The beef fajita dinner is my favorite. My wife gets the chicken fajita dinner. My kids get taco salad and they prepare special strips of steak for my youngest :) read more

La Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Chittenango, New York

Good Mexican food and plenty of it. Friendly people. Good variety on the menu. Only open for take out at this time.

Went here on a Friday night around 6:30 or 7:00 with a group of 4. To our surprise, the place was packed. No tables available to seat 4. It was so busy, and they were so understaffed, that we weren't even really greeted when we came in. We just awkwardly stood around awhile we waited for a table to be vacated. After a table was vacated, we sat ourselves. Chips and salsa were complementary. The salsa was ok, but a bit on watery/runny side - hard to eat on chips without making a mess all over the place. They actually ran out of salsa, so we had to go without on our second round of chips. Even though they were busy our food was ready in a reasonable amount of time. I had a combo plate (burrito, relleno, taco) with rice and refried beans. The relleno was luke warm. Everything was tasty. Not the best, but it was fine. Overall I am feeling lukewarm about the place. I will probably try it again, but on a night that isn't so busy. read more

We had a BIG family event there and I was very pleased with the prices, the staff and the food. ALL GOOD! And, coming from San Diego, near the Mexican border, I can tell you for sure, it's authentic Mexican food. Yum! read more

la cocina is about what you'd expect from a mexican restaurant in chittenango; that is, ok. nothing amazing but, then again, i wasn't really expecting to be amazed so it was decent. went for lunch. service was extremely fast although lackluster and borderline unfriendly. menu was very typical combo plates, some specialties of the house and so on. no liquor license. the food was acceptable; nothing is going to make you groan with happiness, but nothing will make you groan with ick either. i got one of the combo plates so as to taste a few different things. the best was the chile relleno which - very happily - was a whole stuffed poblano, not a deep-fried glop. husband got fajitas which were, again, ok. we'd go there again - but more because this region is a mexican food wasteland and this is the best of the bunch - not because it's fantastic. read more

Great food, thoughtfully prepared. It's easy to see how much care is put into the preparation. Fresh and delicious!

If your looking for a small awesome place to have Mexican food this is the place. I recommend it to anyone.

Always a fan to try out local spots so we took a gamble and tried this place for lunch. After living in Texas the food looked different and likewise for the taste. Canned sauce for sure, runny queso for chips and bland food. Enchilada just had shredded chicken....yeah no cheese or anything just a metric ton of canned red sauce. Chile relleno was a flat pepper with a flat piece of cheese again covered in canned red sauce. No batter. No breading. Just a pepper. My chalupa, a 'tostada' just no melted cheese. Again just stacked with cubed chicken and cold veggies. Overall you can get a closer Taste of Mexico by going to Taco Bell ( and that's coming from a Texan). Price was ridiculously outrageous for the quality of what was ordered. read more

The staff is friendly, the service good, and the prices excellent. Wait time is unbelievably fast for a sit down restaurant. The food is okay - maybe a little better than okay. With that being said, La Cocina probably serves the best mexican food in the Syracuse area. We dine there regularly. My biggest complaint is that their chicken tacos barely contain chicken - but they're tasty. July 25, 2013 - I'm finally getting back to editing this review. I think, perhaps, the owner(s) must have read my first review because they now pack the tacos with chicken. Even with Cantina Laredo opening up at Destiny, I prefer the food at La Cocina. read more

When we lived closer, this was a go-to when we felt like grabbing a bite to eat. It's the best Mexican food I've had in Upstate NY. Authentic and delicious, good sized portions for a very reasonable price. The owners and staff are so friendly and service is fast. And the desserts - yeah, definitely save room for dessert :) read more

The service was fantastic. Staff was incredibly friendly and quick. However... the food.. I will never eat again. I ordered a beef burrito, and it was filled with ground beef. I've never seen any hispanic culture use ground beef in a taco or burrito. I also ordered an enchilada, and the sauce tasted like pasta sauce. If you want real authentic mexican food, this is definitely not the place to go. Maybe I should have ordered a chicken dish instead. For those who are unaware, mexican food contains shredded beef. Never ground beef. read more

So glad I took advice from a friend and tried this restaurant. Since coming from Tucson AZ, I have been looking for a small authentic Mexican restaurant and I have found it. While atmosphere may not be it's draw, the food certainly is worth trying. My husband and I had a late Saturday lunch. There were only another large party there at 4pm. The menu has a very large selection, with many vegetarian options, and many "not spicy" options for me. I had a super fajita quesadilla with steak. It was perfectly made and delicious with sour cream and guacamole on the side. My husband had a platter with all his favorites, taco, enchilada, rice, beans, burrito. Their chips and salsa are great. There is plenty of parking in a lot nearby. The bill was very reasonable. I have seen coupons in the local clipper magazine as well. Enjoy! read more

We have been going here since it opened many years ago. The staff is always very friendly and we have never had a disappointing meal. The prices are great and they genuinely listen to what the customer wants. Don't let the outside deceive you this is the best Mexican food around. Great food, great service, great atmosphere. read more

A small place that serves surprisingly good Mexican food. Service can be hit-or-miss but the food is always out fast and is really quite good. I can't really speak as to how authentic the food is, but it is much more so than Chilis, for example. I was surprised to find a good Mexican place in Chittenango, NY, but there you go. No liquor licence which didn't bother me, but could be a bummer for some. read more

Not too shabby. We were seated straight away and the servers were attentive. Not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but quite tasty. The food was prepared well and served in a timely manner. The salsa was good but a tad runny for me. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this place considering the location. read more

The food was delicious, good size portions, I had the fajitas tejanas it was cooked great, and very quick, my boyfriend is vegetarian so sometimes it's hard to find a place with food for him, he got the chimichangas and said they were delicious. We would definetly come back. read more

Delicious! Best mexican food in the Syracuse area. Good prices, quick service, great food. Definitely worth the trip anytime! read more

This is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. My husband and I usually get the same two dishes when we come. We absolutely love the carnitas. Flavor is great and portions are huge. We also like the chimichangas. We generally get one beef and one chicken because they are both so good that we can't decide which one to get. Atmosphere is very casual. Service is usually good, but sometimes a little inexperienced. read more

I would give this place a negative review, but the people are nice. I think they just need to really cook, but then again there alot of people up here that are happy with taco bell style to. so there trying to make everyone happy. I get it. read more

When I heard there was a Mexican place coming to Chittenango, I was skeptical to say the least. But I was wrong. This place is great. I mean, beyond great. I've had Mexican food in Mexico, and prefer this. I've never had a bad meal there, and I've eaten there many, many, many times. Best plate in my opinion is the Playa de La Cocina, which is awesome chicken and awesome rice and awesome chorizo with toppings in a tortilla. Holy goodness that's great. Chips and salsa for starters, authentic Mexican soft drinks and also Pepsi stuff on tap. The staff is incredible, really just good people and very accommodating. And its a friggen bargain too. My family of 4 can eat there for usually under $60 with a 20% tip. I cannot recommend this place enough. I've brought people in from all over the north east, and most say this is the best Mexican they've ever eaten. Totally worth the drive out to Chittenango. read more

I went here because someone told me it was "real authentic" Mexican cuisine. I have to say that I was overly disappointed,. First I have to say that I am a Chef, that being said I know that I am hard to please when it comes to food. I ordered a combo plate (burrito, enchilada, and taco) and a side of Spanish rice. All three items were filled with plain ground beef, not even seasoned with anything (no salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin) and smothered in what looked to be tomato sauce and cheese. The "Spanish" rice, when I looked at, it had the appearance of minute rice, with a few pieces of tomato in it. When I tried it my thoughts were confirmed, it was minute rice. It took a lot not to walk back in the kitchen and show them how to actually cook Spanish food. I would not recommend this restaurant if you're looking for real Mexican food. read more

Good Mexican food. Great mom and pop feel gets really busy during dinner rush. A little slow but worth it if you looking for good prices and good food. read more

My four stars are because I'm a fan. This attractive, yet humble, restaurant is one of my local favorites. First, a few honest clarifications. No, it is not "authentic" Mexican food if you are a true foodie. It is, however, a fine example of an American "hybrid" Tex-Mex kind of place that provides a menu of multiple options from your standard "every possible combination" platter to several more specialized dishes. Many cities and now small towns have such places that are not part of chains and are not pricey, upscale Latino-influenced restaurants. This is a clean, cozy, well-managed and staffed restaurant in a small town, and it delivers. The food is very reasonably priced, always tasty, consistently prepared, and in my opinion, equal to or better than the offerings at more expensive, trendy "Mexican" restaurants in our region. Their salsa has a nice onion-y little kick to it. I've taken friends here, and their response is always, "This place is really nice! The food is good! I had no idea this was here!" I came here early on a weeknight, recently, and there was already a steady stream of customers. Perfect for a casual meal with family or friends without breaking your budget. read more

My family had dinner there tonight, and we all loved it! I grew up in California, with lots of good mexican food, and this is the first time I've had food as good around here. You've GOT to try the chile rellenos! read more

Super nice people, good sized portions and a decent meal. You won't leave hungry, that's for sure.

Comfortable, family-friendly, home style Mexican food. Family run business. Delicious salsa and chips. I can't eat salsa from a jar anymore after eating here regularly. Very accommodating and friendly service. We love the food. Inexpensive. Too bad they don't have a liquor license, but we come here for the food. read more

I really love the food here. It's simple but the flavor is great. They're always fast. The chips and salsa are complimentary. I loved the salsa, it's a very special recipe. read more

This would barely qualify as mexican food. The service and wait staff was great they were attentive and very kind. The food was cooked completely, but lacked any traditional flavor that Mexican food usually has. I may be jaded as I lived in the Southwest for the last 5 years. read more

You can get decent taco and burritos in most Mexican restaurants. But to get more traditional Mexican fare is not always so easy. La Cocina does an excellent job of cooking up "real" Mexican food. If you are truly interested in getting sometihng other than the standard, you have to try this place. read more