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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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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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

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 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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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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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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We were driving thru on our way back to NM and decided to stay the night in Marana, AZ, just north of Tucson. We looked up reviews for Mexican food restaurants and found La Olla, a few minutes off the I-10 in a residential area. The server, Trisha, was amazing (hope I remembered her name correctly). This was what I consider a local cozy restaurant. The menu had plenty to choose from, regular and unique options. The chips and salsa were delicious (not spicy). My hubby had the #4 and I had the Chico Flauta (chicken). This flauta was flour tortilla rolled with a juicy chicken filling, different but DELICIOUS. The drizzle and guacamole on top were perfect. Hubby enjoyed his entree selections too, beans and rice were okay. Soooo worth the stop. Happy Hour maragaritas were really delicious, still a bit pricy though at HH. Overall, this was a pleasant experience and if we are ever traveling thru this area again, we will definitely take a few minutes off the I-10 to stop here. 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

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

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

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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Had a great dinner there the other night. Yummy food, warm ambience, fast and friendly service! Can't ask for much 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

Food was great! I wanted to try the cheese cake I saw on television commercial and it didn't disappoint. read more

La Olla Mexican Cafe - Shrimp chile relleno - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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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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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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My wife and I love this place! We tried to become "regulars" but our schedules are too crazy. We come here for dinner at least two to three times a month. Great atmosphere, quick and friendly service, and amazing food! They have the best calabacitas in Tucson, hands down! Give this place a try. You won't regret it! read more

One of my favorite restaurants. Love the chipotle chicken salad with avocado and toasted pecans. Also love the carnitas flautas. Love the churros, strawberry with ice cream dessert read more

Took about 30 seconds to understand that La Olla is (as the owner says) "a local, family owned and operated restaurant." The clue? The attitude we got from everyone working there. Even with that, I might've considered a bit better rating, but things went from sour to spoiled pretty quickly. The Wife wants some authentic Sonoran; we've driven past La Olla before, so we figure we'll give it a shot. Hostess tries to seat us at the first table inside the door, and I'm wondering why this is good as I scan all the other empty spaces. The Wife says, "If it's OK, we'd like to sit at the bar; there's going to be too much traffic here." From Hostess' reaction, I'm thinking The Wife had kicked her cat. Oh, well; maybe Hostess is having a bad day. Bartender is having the same bad day. The Wife's seat isn't warm, my butt's still hovering over my stool, and Bartender is demanding what we want. The Wife says, "If it's OK, we'd like to look at the menus first." We're left in begrudging peace for just 60 seconds before Bartender & his attitude are back at us; I order a gold margarita just to placate him. The drink comes, and it's wet. Not much else noteworthy about it. The Wife's first stab at an order gets shot down. She'd like the specialty tacos w/ calabacitas, hold the cheese. Bartender doesn't hide his disdain: "Calabacitas have a lot of cheese, you know." The Wife's surprised because this Mexican squash dish isn't *always* made with cheese, and I'm wondering why he needs to be so snotty. She goes with her second choice (Tamale-of-the-Day); I order carnitas flautas and ask for a Blue Moon to wash them down. The food arrives, and I'm still parched. I suspect Bartender forgot the ale, but then I see him wrestling the keg. Maybe that's why he's having a bad day. I consider changing the order, but he gets me the 16-ouncer before my plate's half-empty. La Olla says their classic Sonoran dishes have "an original twist," but I'll be stuffed if I can figure out what that is. Flautas are near-burnt fried flour tortillas wrapped around over-done carnitas (a SIN!!!) with some guacamole & salsa on the side. The presentation is pretty, but the flavor is pretty standard; same is true for The Wife's tamale. I'm glad I didn't order the far more expensive manchego shrimp. We're done and opt not to order desert; Bartender huffs. The Wife starts to say something about being a discount club member, but Bartender interrupts her -- "Yeah. We don't do that." -- before practically throwing the bill at me. Probably the high point of the visit, even without the $10 club discount; the total's around sixty bucks, and I figure, "You get what you pay for." I forgo my typical over-tip and enter something around 12%. The Wife & I aren't even out of the parking lot before we agree that we won't be back. Tucson's got too many really good restaurants to suffer mediocre food and servers who are really good at making diners feel bothersome. (Interesting side note: The Wife reports to the club that La Olla didn't honor the discount, and the club's response shows the kind of service we'd expect from a small, local, family-owned & -operated restaurant. Live & learn.) read more

La Olla is the best Mexican restaurant in the area! The chips and salsa are a delicious way to start the meal, the salsa is chunky, unlike most places. Tonight I got a bean and cheese burrito, but there isn't a bad thing on the menu. The beans are homemade and go great with the salsa. The fish tacos and fried chicken tacos are some of my other go-to's. The calabacitas beat out any other restaurant. Always great service. Free flan on your birthday! read more

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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We love this place. Everyone is always so nice and they have great recommendations, we've never had a bad dish. Their calabacitas is the best we've ever had. Sometimes we go just to have that and a day drink! Highly recommend! read more