I have to adfmit I am baffled by the above reviews...I travel to Cuernavaca every year and have…read morebeen going to Mexico for thirty years, and I can attest that, other than some regional differences and a bit of "Americanization" (such as meat sauce on the tamales), this is about as authentic as you will get in a foreign land. I teach Spanish at the local High school and am a huge fan of this restarant, both becasue of the nice people running it and the classy way they are presentling a foreign culture, and because of the delicious food. The owners are from Equador and some of the waitstaff are from Mexico. They own two Mexican restaurants in the neighboring towns of Altavista and Bedford (Moneta) called "El Cazador" and will be opening a NEW "El Mariachi" in downtown Lynchburg (at the market) in late March 2011. They have a huge fan base (just do a Google search on the Altavista and Chatham (run by a family member) restaurants. On Saturdays they do NOT take an afternoon siesta so you can go all day long! The menu is a mixture of classic Mexican dishes with a few regional specialties (such as a classic 'Jalisco Special" which buries a tamale under a circle of salad ingredients and includes two taquitos). This menu is not "Tex-Mexed", which means really hot with chilis...but then, in Mexico it is not overly picante...YOU add the spice with the salsas! Sometimes in Mexico a Mole sauce (a chocolate spiced sauce for pork or chicken) can be very hot, bu the restaurants will always warn of this on the menu. Let's face it, if a Mexican restaurant did NOT Americanize the foods somewhat they would not do much business! Just as our pizzas don't resemble ANY pizza I've ever had in Italy and our "chinese" food bears no resemblence to any I've eaten in Hong Kong, it would be unfair to complain that the food is not hotter or spicier...after all, they must provide service to a population who does NOT overly spice their food! Back to why I like this restaurant: Pros: -The nicest Mexican ambiance in central Va: new and clean, uncluttered, pretty murals, QUIET, with enuf privacy to actually have an intimate conversation... muted light at night that gives a calming atmosphere; separate full-service bar. -two muted flat-screens in the corners for diners who must eat alone- having something to watch on the wall will make you less lonely or aware of being alone -Nice, well-rounded menu with a few spicy elements (ask the staff to help in your decision). They caramelize the shrinp and chicken really well- try the Ensalada Fiesta for a great salad with shrimp and chicken, or the Quesadilla Texana, a delightful folded-over quesadilla with the fillings of a chicken & shrimp fajita but with a delicious cheese sauce. Another classic is the Tacos del Pastor, soft tacos filled with marianated and roasted pork that you spice up or down with pico de gallo, a bowl of truly HOT salsa, rice, beans and Crema (sour cream). THAT will give you a true taste of a Mexican classic! - true Mexican cervezas (beer) and refrescos (sodas) from fruit...try the pinapple drink...light and delicious. The coffee is FANTASTIC... rich and not too roasted...the best coffee around. -on Tuedays they have Margaritas for $1.50....try the peach margarita! Cons: -They close from 2 until 5 on weekdays for siesta....if they were open after school I think they'd be surprised how much business they could get from the high school across the street. They do, however, stay open all day on weekends. -I can think of no other cons...do you get the impression that I think you should at least TRY this restaurant?? Say hello to Gerardo, the manager for me!

Came in around lunch time and was surprised that there weren't many people there…read more My waiter was very nice and helpful, I asked about the birria tacos and he said that they were a 10/10... I disagree. The meat was very flavorful and the consumè was some of the best that I've had but the tortillas itself tasted as if it had been fried which I'm not a fan of... change that and you might get a 10/10 The cheese was mid and the rice wasn't something I would come back for.

Popped in for karaoke night last night with friends and had an absolute blast! The have food and…read moredrink specials on karaoke nights so we got a $2 discount in our beers which was awesome. The food was DELICIOUS! I got a chicken dish with rice, beans and veggies and everything was seasoned so perfectly. The staff was great and the whole place was having a blast. Not the place to go for a quiet conversation but definitely the place to hit up for a party!

Granted it was Door Dash, but I had eaten at Lola's a few years ago and loved it. Hence my shock at…read morehow terrible my order was. The queso was watery as though they'd added milk to thin it, so thin that it ran right off the chip. The chips themselves were thick and unappetizing, it was like dipping a dog treat into a bowl of milk. The veggie burrito was nothing but onions and peppers. I get that they may no longer do the roasted zucchini and squash for their veggie burritos (they used to have the best vegetarian menu), but to not even put some beans in there? How many people want to pay $8 for a handful of onion and bell pepper pieces in a soggy tortilla topped with the liquid from the top of a can of tomatoes? On top of this, it was over-salted and inedible. If I hadn't already thrown everything away, I would be able to get my money back from Door Dash, but because they require photos I'm out $21 bucks. I see the mix of negative and positive reviews here, and I'm glad some folks are having a positive experience. But my heart is broken and I will never eat there again, via delivery or otherwise.

Absolutely delicious Mexican food! Been going here for forever and I've never been dissatisfiedread more

I don't think they serve the correct size cheese dip at this location. The one in Forest gives you…read morea whole bowl. And this place charges same price. I would like to see change.

I usually love this place. The food has always been hot and fresh and service is great…read more Unfortunately today, was disappointing. I placed an online order to pick up on the way home from work. I arrived and was ignored for five minutes. Finally someone came and they gave me my order. I got home and had some chips and guac which was good. Then I had one of my tacos. The green sauce I requested was missing. I love that green sauce and was sad it was not included. I decided to finish the guac later that evening and to my surprise there was a quarter in the cup. It made me feel sick to think I had eaten that and it was not sanitary. I call the restaurant and I just get a oh I am sorry. There was no attempt at recovery. I really love this place but feel really sick thinking about that guac.

*update i tried their jamaica agua fresca and it was great,…read moreso was their fish taco i loved the slaw i am adding more pics

Absolutely love this Mexican restaurant. It certainly rivals the local chain (La Carreta) and…read morepersonally I prefer it. At first glance, it seems like a hole in the wall establishment but the portions are huge, price is great and food is super tasty. My friends and I eat there regularly and have yet to be served something that was sub par. They bring chips and salsa to every table for no charge, the service is super nice and you get your food very quickly. Some of our favorites are their guacamole and queso, their steak fajitas and the fajita nachos. They also have great mixed drinks and a different beer special every day of the week. Definitely my favorite Mexican spot in town

One thing Lynchburg, Virginia, isn't hurting for is Mexican food, and Fiesta Tapatia is just one of…read morethe many options in the Lynchburg area. Fiesta Tapatia has all your traditional Mexican fare and a lot of their own unique creations. This was my second visit, and today I got the lunch cheesesteak. One thing I love about this place is that their entrees are always super flavorful and well prepared. The steak on my cheesesteak was just bursting with flavor, and the cheese sauce was creamy and savory. The grilled onions and peppers were perfect as well. The only thing keeping me from giving this restaurant a high score is the fact that the salsa isn't my cup of tea. On my first visit, I panicked because I didn't like the salsa, so I thought I wasn't going to like my meal either, but I was definitely wrong. I ordered the Carne el Charral and steak, shrimp and chorizo were all amazing! The entree was great. I do have to admit that the salsa was better on my second visit but still not my favorite in the Lynchburg area. I will definitely be coming back to the restaurant in the future. The staff is always kind and attentive, and the entrees are always tasty.

Mexican restaurants they're a dime a dozen, but fine-dining ones with genuine Mexican cuisine,…read moreelegant environment, and top-of-the-line customer service, are very rare to find. So naturally when I heard of the newly opened Bandidos Tacos & Cantina Restaurant, located at the Rosedale apartment complex in Lynchburg, Virginia, owned and operated by brothers Alejandro Arellano and Jesus Roberto Arellano, sons of the well known and very popular, La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, I had to take a drive to Lynchburg to experience first hand what the hype was all about. In addition to Bandidos, the owners also co-own the trendy "Hueso Loco" in downtown Lynchburg and Jesus Roberto Arellano also operates "Papa Gallo" at the River Ridge Mall. And what can I tell you, my high expectations of this new Mexican Restaurant were not only highly realized but amazingly so. As I approached the restaurant shortly after they had opned at three o'clock in the afternoon, the simple, yet beautiful contemporary architectural design of the building with a fenced outdoor patio with tables with pink umbrellas, and a counter with windows adjacent to the indoor bar, and with a gigantic, colorful skull head decorating the area, I knew that I was into something good. Once inside, I was pleasantly surprised by the extraordinary decor of the place. Creative and one-of-a-kind items such as the Host's station in the form of a large stock pot, a beautiful designed open waiting area, an open kitchen where you could watch the flames rising as the enthusiastic cooks prepared your food, a lit around bar with interesting design stools, booths that were elegant yet comfortable, electric candles that looked so real, and a ceiling that itself was a work of art with a colorful ceiling mural, giant lamp shades hanging down, and an amazing colorful blown glass ceiling sculpture at the the entrance. The restaurant had just opened its doors and yet it already had customers seated at some of its booths and at the bar. A friendly young lady greeted and gave me a warm welcome, escorting me to a booth in the back of the restaurant with a nice view of the open kitchen and the bar, where I could watch the action of the cooks cooking and the bartenders crafting premium cocktails and mixiology. Even though their drink menu included three interesting Mocktails, they were flexible enough to make me a Virgin Mango Frozen Margarita. I had an opportunity to meet one of the co-owners in person who was behind the bar at the time seeing that everything went as scheduled. He was very friendly and kind, and very impressed when he found out that the 4th on the list of the Top 50 Most Prolific Yelp Elites came to dine and write a review on the experience. Not long after my server Paula, who was fluid was very friendly, efficient, and spoke fluid Englis, came by and took my order. I started out with a few appetizers. First I had a Carnitas Street Taco. The presentation was splendid and the taste was amazingly delicious. The carnitas were well marinated and cooked just right. Second I had 3ct of Beef Empanadas. They came covered with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and a special sauce. They tasted amazing. I loved the shredded beef inside, which was tasty and juicy. Then I had what I always look for in restaurant's menu and hardly ever find the genuine one. This was the Pork Belly Guac: a crunchy crispy chicharron paired with fresh guacamole. The genuine "pork belly" or "chicharron" is a cut of fried pork skin that has a piece of pork meat included with the pig fried skin and fat. The one you usually see is the crackling fat one. In the one served here, they should have fried it a bit longer so the fat would be more crunchy, but it did had a nice piece of meat attached. For my main course I had the Texas Fajitas Grill. It had high-quality chicken, steak, and shrimp. The only thing missing wad that my server didn't bring it out while the skillet was still sizzling, as I saw another server do. But since the restaurant just opened, she needs more experience with the timing of bringing out the food. However, the quality of the ingredients, way they were marinated and cooked was superb. As the Grand Finale I had a Tres Leches that was exquisite, but immensely large. Two person could easily share one, especially after having a large meal. And finally what impressed me the most was the very reasonable prices for the items on the menu In conclusion, I highly recommend this authentic Mexican restaurant with some unique items on the menu. I had an extraordinary dining experience there.

Was able to try out Bandido's on one of their soft opening nights and was very surprised. First…read moreoff, Lynchburg has a lot of great Mexican food so I was hoping this new restaurant would hold up. The restaurant is beautiful decorated and is very modern and authentic. This would definitely be a great place to hang out with friends, get an after work drink, or even have dinner with the family. Now let's get to the food. I started with a large queso for the table and it was creamy and savory and the chips were then crispy and flavorful. Next I had the quesadilla crush, which is a chicken quesadilla with grilled peppers and onions served with rice and crema. Basically exactly how I would make it if I was making it for myself. It was wonderful and would definitely get it again. I was also able to try the Texas fajitas which came out sizzling and smelling the way you want them to. Needless to say I loved my first experience at this restaurant and plan to visit many more times!

I have been coming to this family-owned restaurant for over thirty years. The menu has stayed…read morebasically the same. You get a fresh basket of corn chips when you sit down. Each server is relaxed and happy to explain things. Children are welcome. They are amused when I order in Spanish. The frozen strawberry margarita is gigantic. My only complaint is the occasional noise level, but the tables are close together and there are lots of people. The intermittent music adds the noise. A lot depends on the day and time you are there.

Neat place setting. Not a very exciting menu, rather boring. The food we did order was good. Folks…read morewere really nice there.

On a long drive and cruised by Lynchburg VA and stopped in Mi Patron. Coming from So Cal, Mexican…read morefood is beyond prevalent. I felt I can make a good pick. The place had good reviews so with my tongue-in-cheek, I went in and ordered. Great food!! Very, very tasty; very professionally arranged menu. I opted for the Chef's Special paired with a margarita-Muy delicioso! Very, very good food. The local Virginians don't know how good they have it. Go in-you will come out very satisfied and figuring when you can return.

Stopped in to this Mexican restaurant for dinner with my family plus the extended family (10…read moretotal). The parking lot was busy due to three restaurants in the same area but there was plenty of parking, despite some persons parking in completely ridiculous locations (like the fire lane). Upon entering, the hostess seated us at a large wooden table large enough for all of us. Our service was a team effort but all staff members were attentive and pleasant. Drinks remained full and due to the time it took to get our food (slow for a Mexican place) we ate way too many chips and salsa bc they kept bringing them. The business was busy but there was still room for persons walking in. They have both table and booth seating with Hispanic music playing overhead at a pleasant level. Our group ordered a wide array of food from quesadillas (shrimp and chicken), kids meals with soft tacos, nachos supreme, bowls, and tacos. I opted for the Patron taco special - 4 tacos with rice and beans (asada, Al pastor, carnitas and chicken). The portions were large and filling. A great meal for a group at a fair price.