My sister was visiting and we wanted to try a new Mexican restaurant close by, so we decided to check out La Olla. Luckily it wasn't far at all! This place is really hopping. We went around 4pm and they were already pretty busy, but we were able to get a table right away. The service was quick and friendly -- I especially liked that multiple people stopped by to check on us throughout the meal. Chips and salsa came out immediately, which is always a great start. I also loved the fun, upscale container the chips were served in -- such a nice touch. For food, we ordered the chicken chimi with a side of rice and the lighter fare plate with a chile relleno and chicken enchilada. We also took advantage of happy hour and ordered two house margaritas for $8 each. Everything was fabulous. The chimi was huge -- honestly it ended up being two meals because it was so big and filling! The red sauce on both the chimi and enchilada was especially good, with a nice smoky flavor. The chile relleno was also very tasty. We'll definitely be back. The only thing we'd love to see is a few more options on the happy hour food menu -- that's usually how we like to try new dishes! Great food, great service, and a fun atmosphere! read more

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Busy, colorful, cheery, place with fresh, savory Mexican food. Love their calabacitas and creamy chili sauces, Long time staff are helpful, prompt and friendly. Lunch specials are reasonable and generous- plenty to eat. read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Birria Burrito with calabacitas - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Still one of our favorite places to eat. We just wish they were closer to our home on the east side. Got the usual combo as one meal. I got a different combo--a chili relleno and enchiladas with calabacitas instead of rice and beans. Everything was delicious. The calabacitas are the best I've had anywhere! Service was friendly and efficient. Tasteful decor and tables, booths, and a bar area. read more

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Awesome taco Tuesday deal, $1.99 for chicken, asada, carnitas or ground beef street tacos. They're a good size and very filling. My favorite was the carnitas and ground beef. Trista is the best server ever. One thing to note is there is now a sneaky fee for paying with a card. read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Left to right- 2 carnita street tacos, 1 asada, 1 ground beef - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Great food and service the street tacos were so tasty. I had the chicken and carnitas street tacos. The carnitas was very flavorful I will be back to try out more. read more

My sister and I enjoyed lunch at La Olla We each had a taco salad made with beans,cheese,lettuce,avocado,tomatoes in a crisp tortilla bowl with sour cream. It was delicious and the perfect size.They gave us complimentary chips and salsa. The atmosphere wasvery Mexican with colorful banners and sombreros and music. Waiter was very attentive and got whatever we needed. Plenty of room for any size gathering. Parking right outside front door door. I will definitely return. read more

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Always great food and service! Lots of choices. Come from the Eastside, to meet family and friends often. definitely recommend. read more

We decided to have dinner tonight at La Olla for Small Business Saturday. As always, we were not disappointed with our service, the ambiance, or the food. I hope they keep the La Dip on the menu as a regular item. It was an explosion of deliciousness that danced across our palates, and was a special today. I opted for another special, the Shrimp bowl, which was recommended by our server and was delighted with the sweet, spicy, and combination of flavors. My husband had his usual, tge Rojo Chimichanga....he was not disappointed by the flavor and the generous portion. read more

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I had lunch yesterday with friends, the food was delicious. 2 of us had the mini enchilada stack and the other had the La Olla wrap. We have been here many times and have always had very good service. However yesterday it took 30 minutes for us to get our food, the restaurant was less than half full and every other table received their food very quickly, it was unusual. read more

I had never been here before. It's a solid spot. I ended up ordering catering from here for a baby shower. The owner was quick with quotes and had great follow up. I ordered three meats, beans, and rice with two types of tortillas. My guest enjoyed the food. There was also an option to borrow the burners to keep the food warm. Overall, my dine in and catering experience was great. read more

Picked up takeout mid afternoon on a Saturday. Quick process to place an order and it was ready and waiting when I got there! Friendly staff and tasty chimichanga special read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Chimichangas Or Burros - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Took my family there for dinner to try their new tasting menu. When we ordered, We were told they were out of ice cream and potatoes, There were three entree options on the tasting menu. The one my husband and I both wanted was served with potatoes. We were told they would replace the potatoes with fries. My husband ordered that and found maybe 4 fries in the whole dish. The carne asada was salty and the dosh was strange to say the least. I had gotten a chicken and carnitas burrito which was served ice cold. This was odd because all the other dishes at our table came out on fire. WhenI told the waitress she took the plate back to the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with the same plate. I had put salsa on the sides and now the salsa was hot and the red and green sauce that covered the burrito was dried out. The meat was dried out. I asked why the plate wasn't remade and I was told that the cook just put it in the warmer. I was offered to order something else but the rest if my family was almost done with their food by this point. Instead they brought out more beans to replace those with the hot salsa on them. The beans bought out were lukewarm. I didn't say anything .I didn't eat any of it. Worst tasting menu I've ever had. We will not return. read more

Came here for a quick dinner while in the area. Service was great & very friendly. The owner was walking around checking on tables - which I loved, reminded me of old school restaurants. The menu was very expansive, they even had a seasonal menu for the summer. I got the shrimp tostadas & my husband got nachos. Both dishes were delicious! We will definitely be back when we find ourselves in the area again. read more

Unassuming from the outside but standout food, drinks and service. A true Sleeper. And the best calabacitas I've ever found.

This Mexican restaurant came recommended by friends, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The atmosphere was welcoming, and the customer service was genuinely warm and attentive from start to finish. I had the harvest salad with chipotle chicken, and the flavors were spot on--perfectly seasoned, fresh, and satisfying. You can tell they care about both the food and the people they serve. read more

Great food, lovely family owned place. Never disappointed! Looking forward to our next visit.

Used to be excellent; would come here at least once a month. Food went way down in quality in the last year or so and prices went up. I didn't mind the price increases as they are a local business and prices are up on everything but the quality just tanked. Service is about the same (above average); ambiance hasn't changed. Small, hot. read more

We have been there many times and find the service very good and the food exceptionally good! Try this spot, you won't be disappointed! read more

I haven't actually eaten here because: As of March 2025 the restaurant uses chicken broth to cook their rice -- even for the "vegetarian" tacos plate. The beans and calibicitas are actually vegetarian. A guacamole appetizer, a salad, chile relleno appear to be the only veg items here. read more

Food and service was very good. However a glass of chardonnay cost $11.00 !!!! Feels like a rip off in this non high end noisy resturant.

This restaurant is fantastic. We came on a Friday night around 7 and they were able to immediately seat our family of four. The kids menu has great choices which is a plus. Everything we ordered was delicious. My 12 year old took one bite of his meal and said, "wow, we're definitely going to be coming here again!" The calabacitas were my favorite I've tried. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Our new favorite Mexican restaurant in Marana. read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Chipotle Shrimp and Pork - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This place is so good you'll have to unbutton your pants to finish the food. I got the chicken enchiladas w rice and beans

First time trying this restaurant while visiting family in Arizona. I'll say first a small critique, that my carnitas dinner was different - not what I typically receive at Mexican restaurants. That said, it was still very good and I enjoyed trying the new accompaniments. The moderate portion of finely chopped shredded pork had peppers & onions in it, and maybe more seasoning than I expected to taste. It was good. Not the typical large chunks with oil & fat that other restaurants serve as carnitas; this was probably much healthier version! The calabacitas side was very good - I'd never had that anywhere else before. It's a zucchini & corn ... maybe other veggies in sauce or creamed corn? The "tamale pie" was a wedge shaped piece of very moist cornbread with some green chilis & corn in it, topped with cheese. Think "scalloped corn casserole" and you might understand the flavor better. It was delicious. The grilled pepper & scallion garnish - pepper was tender & spicy-hot! And scallion not grilled enough to bite so was tough to try to eat it. I kind of gnawed on it and set it aside. I did enjoy the large hand stretched flour tortilla. In other restaurants I request corn tortillas but this was unique and I enjoyed it. I tore pieces off to wrap pork into it. My husband had the carne asada burro (burrito) it was huge and stuffed with meat. 3 Other guests had: chicken bowl (?) , a huge chicken filled chimichanga, fried tacos with beef. Salsa was delicious!!! Chips were a bit thick so very filling to eat too many of them. Guacamole was good but a bit bland - needed at least salt & lime! I would eat here again with no problem. I rather enjoyed the new experiences with my carnitas dinner. Also of note - the chimichanga was not crispy because of the enchilada sauce on top. That might make a difference to some diners. read more

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The Food is amazing. my family and I have been going there since they opened almost 10 years ago!! I am a 100% disabled veteran and FELT at home when supporting this business. My entire family have been regular patrons. ( 16- 18 people) . ( not to mention the friends and co workers we have recommend this business to. The wait staff is always great. As of June 10th 2026 none of us will support this business Any longer.... The "OWNER" was extremely rude and tried blaming me for her 1/2 way prepared order and trying to short patrons on their food. ( kinda like cheese cake factory that give you 1/2 the portions on pick up orders) . The beans were spilt in the bag, the portions were less than normal. ( initially not a big deal) I just wanted them to fix it. She tried blaming me. I refused to accept blame for her mistake , so she walked off while I was speaking. She then claimed she wasn't being rude, only "trying to correct her mistake and make me happy" . She knew she was rude. Some business owners need to leave it to the professionals. It was some of the best food I have had, but the pathetic "owner" lost a lot of business. read more

We really liked this place! I had never heard of it and a friend took me here. I opted for carnitas tacos and he got the stacked enchilada. Both were so delish! The calabacitas were amazeballs!! Service was excellent and prices were fair. Oh and the house margarita was really tasty. read more

We went for a family lunch after a funeral. There were over 30 of us. The staff did a great job taking care of us. Food was delish, drinks were refilled,and food came out hot and fairly fast taking into account the number of people we had. The apple pie moonshine margaritas hit the spot. Will definitely be back! Thank you for taking care of out family. read more

Great service, food selection, desserts and drinks. Recommend to everyone who likes good quality.

Before hopping on the road to head home, we stopped at La Olla for lunch. My hubby said he needed one more fix to last until our next visit to Tucson. Again, delicious food and great service! Adding a pic of my tamale *chef kiss* My daughter had the chimichanga and said it tasted great! read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Tamale of the Day - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The Chipotle Shrimp and Pork the star of the show!! Oh wait the beans, calabasitas, tacos were delicious as well! Such a cute little place. Service was outstanding. Greeted as soon as we walked in. The waitress/bartender/hostess continually checked in and made sure our to go order was right!!! Yay for another locally owned mexican restaurant near me. read more

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We were seated right away by a very nice waitress. Gave her our order and waited some time before our food came out. Was shocked at the price of the sides. $2.25 for rice or beans is a lot. My wife substituted a side and it was an extra dollar. Anyways the food finally arrived. Food and the platters were hot. First few bites were so-so but then my red chili started getting very dried out. Wife's plate was good but she ended up pulling the breading off the chili relleno. We both agreed that the enchilada sauce was not that tasty and was burnt. Will we go back? No. read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Enchilada and relleno - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Friday noon 2 Tacos w/ rice and beans 1 chicken burro ench style w/ rice and beans 2 small cheese quesadillas 1 chips w/ salsa No drinks Total bill for lunch 73$ ( expected 45$ to 50$ ). Probably a one and done for me. Food was alright but not spectacular enough. read more

I've been going to La Olla since the day they opened their doors, and it has always been consistently excellent. The food is as great as it gets; you cannot order anything on the menu that is unimpressive. Good tequila selections and ever-interesting dessert options keep us coming back. This family owned-and-operated restaurant is a must-visit to experience Mexican cuisine at its finest and most unique. In my opinion, it is the only 5-star Mexican restaurant within 50 miles. read more

This is my favorite Mexican cuisine in Tucson! Delicious calabacitas, beans, salsa, and tamales! The staff is always friendly too. Check it out! read more

Food was plentiful, taste was meh for me, nice restaurant - we were there close to closing - the manager stared at us a lot hoping to hurry us thru our dinner and put the door. Our waitress was great. read more

Oh. My. Enchiladas! Every single item we ordered was phenomenal. The complimentary chips and salsa, shrimp empanada appetizer, enchiladas, burrito, Sonoran hot dog with sweet potato fries and the churro desert were all delicious. We were not disappointed with anything. The margaritas were top notch too. I highly recommend the prickly pear and apple cinnamon moonshine margaritas. Definitely a must eat place and it was worth the drive from Tucson! read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Apple Cinnamon Moonshine Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Wow! What a popular place! I think I arrived right in time to snag one of the last open tables on a busy Monday night. Tip: they serve a lighter, luncheon style menu all day Mon. - Thursday which I really appreciated! Salsa and chips are complimentary, although the salsa was very bland. I ordered the luncheon chile relleno, a side of refried beans, and a house margarita. The margarita was delicious and fresh! The relleno came out quickly. I began to notice a trend toward the "non-spicy" here because even the beans were bland and looking around there was no hot sauce or even salt & pepper to help it out. Sadly, just not enough flavor or heat for me, but some of you may appreciate food on the milder side. Friendly and service and that kitchen seemed to be on top of a busy and demanding house! This is obviously a very popular neighborhood restaurant and I might return to try other items on the menu. read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Chile Relleno - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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What more can I say...I love this place. My new go to is the happy hour nachos. Even my very picky 4yo grandson loves their chips and salsa read more

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I had always just driven by this restaurant, and had never been in. It is right next to my nail salon so I knew exactly where to go when I was heading that direction. The feel and ambience of this restaurant when you walk in was so warm and welcoming, and felt like family almost. The menu was delicious. The empanada is my favorite, and their margarita was Delicious. I cannot wait to go back and try a few more items off of their menu, but this was an all-around 10 out of 10 for me. read more

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The food is authentic and tastes amazing! The service is also amazing. We love LA Olla!!

Four of us arrived around 4:00PM on a Monday in April, and it wasn't too busy. Typical décor you would find in a Mexican restaurant. We were greeted quickly and taken to a table. A wait person quickly brought chips and salsa. We each ordered one of their house margaritas which were just ok. They could have used more tequila because it mainly tasted like lime mix. The waitress confused two of our orders. One of them was supposed to be enchiladas but ended up a burrito. The other was supposed to be one chicken enchilada and one cheese which ended up with 2 chicken enchiladas and one cheese (which we were charged for). We just ate what we got rather than make a big deal out of it because we were hungry! The servings are generous, and we all enjoyed our meals and the chips and salsa. The calabacitas were tasty and something new for us. Most of us took leftovers home. We would come again but trade the margaritas for beer - and make sure they got the order right! read more

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