My father and I found this place randomly on a Spring Training and Golf trip to Phoenix. The Dollar car rental agent recommended Pitic as a nearby mexican food restaurant. She warned us that they didn't speak english very well and I grinned to myself hoping that meant the food was authentic. I couldn't have been more happy. It was authentic and utterly "delicioso". Pitic is located about 2 blocks from the airport in Phoenix to the north I believe. There is a run down, slightly shady, maybe a bit dangerous looking strip mall painted in a traditional Mexican orange/pink adobe with iron bars over every window. Drive around the side and Pitic is located at the far end. There's an authentic mexican bar in front of it that shares a wall (and invariably music as well). Don't be deterred by the rough exterior. It is a facade that hides the warm family cooked mexican dishes and friendly service inside. My father and I each had margaritas which the waitress informed me had "mas liqour" (stronger than usual). I ordered the fish special and my father had the carnes (meat) special. Both were exceptionally flavored although not something that I had tried before in any other mexican restaurant. I like trying each restaurants special so this one was definitely a pass. It wasn't something I'd come back to Pitic for again but it impressed me enough to try their tacos on our next visit. Before I tell you about the tacos I should preface this by stating I hate corn tortillas. Detest them. Usually they're dry, flakey, and unappetizing. It just so happens I forgot to check what the tacos came in this time and when they showed up in corn tortillas I grimaced a bit. After a brief moment of self loathing for my poor short term memory I dug in. The tortilla was soft, chewy and I'm going to guess home made. It was absolutely amazing. The only other corn tortilla I had that was this good was from Super Rica in Santa Barbara, which is famous for their home made corn tortillas. I could have been fooled I suppose but either way the tacos were amazing. I normally find a favorite dish that will make me continuously come back to a restaurant to satisfy a craving. The carne asada tacos are Pitic's craving-satisfier for me. Find this gem and try them for yourself. Bring a spanish dictionary or a friend who has a bit of broken spanish. You should get along fine and you won't be disappointed. Thank you to both the waitresses that took care of my Father and I. One was very motherly and took amazing care of us, the other was "muy bonita" (very beautiful) and I loved the extra strong margarita. Gracias! read more

What are you doing here? Seriously. How did you find this place? It's sort of off the beaten path, no? Well, it's good that you did find Pitic. You are in for some good eating. This is a REAL Mexican restaurant with real Mexican food where real Mexicans would be happy to eat. Even the signs and menus are completely in Spanish. Luckily I was able to translate "Enchilada" and "Taco" and most of the other menu items. The food was prepared expertly and served very hot...and delicious. I tried the Carne Asada. It wasn't seasoned much, but that's the norm at these type of restaurants. And because it wasn't hiding behind a lot of seasoning, I could taste that this was quality beef. The refried beans were addicting. The guacamole was chunky authentic...and spicy. Even the tortilla was toasted up perfectly with a little bit of crispiness to it. Muy autentico! Oh yeah, the salsas here are FANTASTIC! I would go back just to eat chips and salsa. I started out eating a chunky salsa made from very hot green peppers. First bite I thought, "Ow, that's hot! ...But wow that's good!" So, I took another bite. And another. And another.... So hot. So good. After burning my mouth for a while, I noticed a dark red salsa at the other end of the table. This is a smoky red pepper salsa with about a medium heat. It's even more addicting than the other. Very good! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I really like this place. Friendly staff and really quaint inside--just felt like I was sitting in my aunt's kitchen or something. Very pleasant atmosphere. I'm not around this part of town much, so I don't know how often I'll be able to return to Pitic. However, I believe I'll just have to make a special point to return. I'm already looking forward to it. read more

Okay, listen. You're cool, right? I don't mean hipster-cool, trucker-cap wearing, bleeding-gums ironic Kardashian-damage trust-fund doofus. I mean cool--as in, you appreciate treasures off the beaten path, and you can keep a secret. You're cool? Okay. Here it is: this place is the best Mexican food in town. It's better than Carolina's. I love Carolina's, but this is better. Here's why: Pitic's tortillas are handmade like Carolina's, but they're not as dry--they're a tiny bit doughier, a little thicker, and to me they're just about perfect. Ditto their frijoles. Pitic's have a great smoky flavor that just goes on for miles. Chorizo, machaca, all the stuff I've had there has been so good, so savory. And then there's the salsa. There are two kinds--a red and a green. Both freshly made. The red is very savory, with hints of chipotle and other good stuff. But my favorite is the green sauce, with huge chunks of fresh jalapenos and tomatillos. They're both pretty hot--to my taste the green is hotter, which is exactly what I'm after. I usually get a quart of it to go, to get me through the week. It's a great family-owned place with friendly service, and the Pitic bar is a hoppin' dance club on the weekends. It's close to the airport if you're on your way in or out of town. Treat yourself right and get some real authentic Mexican food. But please don't tell the hipsters. This is our little secret. (and yeah, their ads on digital channel 38 are camp classics. Tune in!) read more

We ordered steak tacos and steak burrito and the food was extremely greasy and the meat tasted extremely old. We took two bites and decided to leave and were still charged $33. Horrible horrible experience. read more

A very nice place with a great staff. The food is very good at a very good price. We were visiting from Chicago but if we ever come back to this area we will come here again. read more

Going to the airport but want to avoid crappy ass overpriced fare around and inside PHX? Then get your ass to Pitic! Pitic is a little spot really close to the airport that has good Mexican food. This is solid, inexpensive, and fresh stuff! The tortillas here are really good and you gotta support this place. It's in a little strip mall type place - but then isn't everywhere in Phoenix like that? Anyhow, eat at this little spot and you'll feel good about supporting a local business and get a nice filling meal that's pretty damn good! read more

Food was unfortunately not that good. Ordered the Tampiqueña plate. Meat was thin and full of fat, enchilada looked like a flat folded quesadilla, beans not that refried, more like 50/50. Service was bad too. Had to go to cashier to pay my tab( reminded me of Denny's). read more

The green salsa was awesome incredible!! The Machaca burrito was delicious and the chimi sweet for dessert topped of a delicious experience. Don't pass up the opportunity to try Pitic! read more

Love this place, I was a little worried when I pulled up, but I am so glad I went inside. I got the daily special which was pork with green salsa. It was so well prepared. Just like being back in Mexico. I will definitely be going back many many times. read more

Pitic Restaurant - Pork with green salsa! Super super yum ! - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This little place is really creepy looking, but really good. I come here often with my dad, as it is close to his work. I always get, i believe, the number 8 -chili relleno, taco, and enchilada with rice. It is always really good.... Also their chips, salsa, and guac are great. The place is never too busy *see the store front for why* but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Also, it is relatively inexpensive, especially for the size of the entrees. I would definitely go to this place all the time if I lived a little closer. read more

I finally stopped by Pitic as I was traveling along I-17. I sometimes find myself watching ch. 38 and singing along with old-time favorite videos from my youth. Of course if any of you have ever tuned to ch. 38 you've seen the commercial for this restaurant as it's played like every other commercial. I never gave it much of a thought until I saw some good yelp reviews. I walked in at 5pm on Sunday and there was only one table with people, the rest of the place was empty. A very beautiful sweet lady seated me and recommended the #8 combo. I never stray if a server recommends something in particular. It was a great way to sample a shredded beef taco, chile relleno and cheese enchilada. First the taco....BOMB BOMB! The hard shell corn tortilla was incredible! The beef was so juicy and tender, loved every bite. The cheese enchiliada was good, but what made it so good was the homemade enchilada sauce. Now the chile relleno....superb. I swear there must be a Mexican grandma back in the kitchen making different sauces. The sauce on the relleno was to die for. When I'm in the neighborhood and not in the mood to stand in line at Carolina's or wait for a table at Comedor Guadalajara, I'll stop in at Pitic. Don't let the bars on the windows scare you!!! read more

Terrible and stinky food. Slow service and horrible experience. I do not recommend this place to anyone. read more

The food tastes like it came from the freezer. The salsa is horrible. The chimichanga we got was too salty. The service is good but the food is horrible read more

Creepy looking outside- Cute looking inside. I had the enchiladas with an over easy egg on top. It was delicious. I think the bill was quite high. I enjoy the food as much at a lower price over at Mi Patio. read more

I had high hopes for this one, considering all the great reviews... too high of hopes. I consider myself a Mexican food addict. If there were a Mexican Food Anonymous, I'd absolutely need to join. Like a few of the previous Yelpers, I ordered the #8 combination, which was a chile relleno, beef taco, and enchilada with rice and beans. -The beef taco was crisp, yes, but there was the tiniest little shred of beef in it. Might as well have been a fried shell. I took one bite that had meat. The rest was empty. -The chile relleno was extremely greasy. I don't know if their oil was not hot enough to fry or what, but the batter on the outside of the rellano seemed to be more of an oil sponge than anything. Took one bite and pushed the rest aside. -The enchilada, generally my least favorite of mexican fare, was actually pretty good. Really plain, but the sauce was the lifesaver on this one. I actually ate the whole enchilada. -Beans were runny and flavorless. No thanks -Rice was fluffy, but much like it's frijole counterpart, had no flavor. No thanks again. All this for 10 bucks (granted that's not a lot of money... but it kind of is considering all I got out of it was basically a bite of taco and a cheese enchilada). At least the people who worked there were nice. I won't be back. Sorry. read more

A gem, this is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the Phoenix area, oldie but goodie. It's kind of hidden but OMG their machaca burrito enchilada style is to die for! Not to mention they have some super delicious salsa!! read more

A really low-key, really authentic Mexican food experience. The food was simple, delicious, and clearly bad food you...which is exactly what we wanted out of our first Phoenix Mexican food attempt. The location can seem a little off-putting from the outside, but we felt 100% comfortable with taking our 1 year old daughter there once we were inside. read more

The cheese enchiladas were delicious!!! Rice ,beans, chips & salsa were equally as good!! Will definitely eat there again! Doesn't look like much from the outside but nice inside. The bowl of cocido was fantastic! We had no complaints!!! Try it if you want affordable, authentic Mexican food!! New fave!! read more

Pitic Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

FYI: pico de gallo is an american "salsa", so don't go here expecting americanized mexican food. Mexican salsa is normally mixed in a molcajete or a blender and it's typically red or green based on the type of chiles used. My favorite is the green salsa, spicy. We've had an assortment of different breakfast items from the pozole to the breakfast dishes including burritos and taquitos. I have not been here for lunch or dinner so I'm not sure what that experience is like but the location can be hard to find since it's a deserted strip mall near the airport/I17 freeway. Rice is flavorful and beans are good. They have a good horchata too. read more

Pitic is so Arizona. The building is nondescript and a little hard to find/scary, the inside is nothing special, but the food...whoa buddy, the food is delicious. The thing that sold me on Pitic was that it was a clearly a locals joint. If the locals are willing to go to a restaurant directly next door to the airport, then it must be good. It's also connected to a full dance club playing traditional music with live bands, if that's your thing. Service was great. No frills on anything, but a great place for a meal before or after a flight. read more

Best bean burrito and horchata! Nice people and good food. Every Togo order comes with chips and Salsa read more

Stopped by a couple of weeks ago since Carolina's was closed.. The food was awful.. The beef burro taste spoiled. The combination plate I sent back. Service was equally bad... I will never go back again.. read more

4.5 Stars. Pitic is a charming small Mom & Pop Restaurant that serves beans that came directly from my Momma's kitchen. Not really, but the beans taste like it. My boyfriend & I go there often & it's always good. This is not a Hipster Mexican Joint. The decor is ok. read more

Went here during a training class in the area. My group ordered a variety of things. Tacos, enchiladas and a tortas. Where do I start? The enchilada eaters described their meal as "bland and stale" to include the sauce that was nothing to write home about. The torta consumer says "where's the beef?" Still unsure about the "authentic" nature of food. The carne asada tacos were edible but nothing spectacular. The beans and rice were just that. I was quite disappointed from all the rave reviews and will not be returning but you can be your own judge. read more

Great food, Fresh salsas and very friendly staff! Come on a Saturday night if you want to hear some good Mexican music!:)

Close to airport, but I would skip this one. Servers were friendly, but food was so hot/spicy that we couldn't finish it. Quality was mediocre. read more

I love this place! The best authentic Machaca, fresh tortillas, and the green salsa is amazing. The service here makes Pitic feel like you're a guest in someone's home. The best! read more

Back again! And for good reason! Always great food, amazing service etc.... One of our favorite places to go for authentic south of the border food!!!! And the beverages are great too!! We will be back. Love the enchiladas!!! read more

Pitic Restaurant - Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

See all

I've been coming to this restaurant for over 15 years. I went there for a business meeting and ordered a burrito with a shredded beef tacos and a side of sour cream. When the food came out I picked the taco up and took a small bite. When I picked it up a second time to bite it I smelled something really weird. I started smelling around and realized my beef was old and had a spoil smell to it. Instead of me making a scene a politely told the lady about the nasty taco and the best she could do was take the 2.00 taco off my bill instead of waving the whole bill. I will never go there again. They need the food department to be called. That is absolutely GROSS read more

PITIC has been in our family for over 25 years, the recipes are passed down from our grandmother. The salsa and chips are Delicious and you have to try the Carne Asada or Shrimp Cocktails. If you like to hear bandas and corridos it's definitely the place for you Friday and Saturday as it gets packed with jente!!!! The food is great and right next to the restaurant we have the bar/club. I hope you enjoy your visit there!!!! -Ashley read more

Decent food! Me and my wife got the nachos. They were big portions but I didn't like the shredded meat much.

this may be the only restaurant i've ever gone to based on a commercial. if you live in phoenix and have yet to see the pitic spot playing on one of the local access stations - the one with all the weird 80s music videos - you need to get to the bikini lounge one night and wait for it on one of their shiny new flat-screens. it features a dancing girl, a soldier, and stop-motion garlic. someone breathes plasma from their mouth. but words don't do it justice. the food here is really solid. family-run place - it's been around for decades, apparently. the atmosphere is nice and quiet, the food takes awhile, and it's a little pricier than standard mexican fare - but it's all worth it, the dollars and the wait. well cooked meats, well-seasoned dishes. just try not to fill up on the delicious chips and salsa they bring out. read more

AWESOME...says she who is the picky eater and cautious about locations...RISKING IT ALL...I only have 3 words CHEAP+AUTHENTIC+DELICIOUS...this place is truly a hidden gem...I'm from Texas so I have no idea if I was in a bad neighborhood or not...but it was in was appeared to be a strip mall type setup...this restaurant is a must try if you are ever in the Phoenix...the waitress did not speak English nor do I speak Spanish, but we both spoke food so when she saw my physique she slightly chuckled and directed me to the lunch portion because advised my eyes were bigger than my stomach...glad I took heed because the portions were enormous....THIS SPOT IS A MUST TRY, IF YOU EVER ARE IN PHOENIX. read more

Authentic Mexican home-style cooking. Everything was tasty and cheap. Nice family-run business and friendly. I had soup and my bf had enchiladas. A real local joint. We want to go to Phoenix just to have the food again. read more

This restaurant has been in our family over 25 years, my uncle now is the one that owns it... you know i have to give it a 5 stars.. but on the serious note the food is good and the chips and salsa is fantastic!! try the taco and enchilada meal... also the albondigas are to die for :) read more

I can't ever recall being so mislead by Yelp reviews. This place was horrible. We went at 7:30 in the evening and there were no customers. So it seems that would tell you something. The waitress tried to be friendly but she did not speak English very well, so she tried to avoid interaction with us, The food tasted like something you would get out of the frozen food section at Fry's. The location itself is extremely hard to find if you are not local. Would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Between not accommodating a request for nacho chips with melted cheese for a child that we asked for in lieu of the other kid's menu items, charging for things they originally said were no charge, and also adding on and charging for items that were never ordered - it's clear this joint is shady. Customer service was nonexistent and the staff were very rude. What a waste of $70+. read more

This place is the real deal. Seeing their commercials every day on channel 38.3 made me finally decide to stop by. The enchiladas are incredible. The enchilada sauce was great. Never tasted enchiladas this good before. The chili rellenos are just as good also. Rice and beans were great as well. Service was also good. I definitely recommend Pitic Restaurant. Five stars! read more

Gotta try the machaca tacos,machaca anything no refills on soda but o we'll drink water lol but seriously eat the machaca

Fooled by the good reviews and some commercial they are playing on one of the free local TV channels... my husband insisted we go... Ok - we go... Saturday night 8-ish we walk in and there is literally no one in the restaurant.. Not a good sign.. We walk up to a counter and are greeted by the somewhat shy waitress telling us we can pick any table... literally any table - they were all ours.. Decor is nothing spectacular - typical local mexican joint decor maybe with a little more artistic touch on the walls... sat at a booth like table and benches - really uncomfortable seating.. Did not take too much time to order - were served stale chips (really hard!) and hot and hotter runny salsa - did not care much for either, but had to keep us busy while our food was cooking.. so had to have some of it... No pico de gallo or any other salsa - we asked.. So - the food... If you like real mexican food - don't go here!!! Took a while to cook, so we were thinking it will be some good fajitas... well, were we wrong? If you want your fajitas NOT sizzling hot and served in a little melamine oval bowl (I wish i took a photo!) come here... pay $12+ for a stingy portion and leave someone hungry and definitely not satisfied - that would be the place to try... I think returning to spend our time and money here will not be something we'll do.. I could not leave 0 stars - leaving 1 star for the waitress being nice and looking after her only customers.. read more