With the Lutwyche location going the way of the dodo, I now regularly take a journey to Morningside…read moreto tend to my frequent Arriba cravings. The good news is, Arriba Grill at Morningside is superior to it's former Lutwyche brethren and that's made immediately apparent the second you step inside. The delightful Mexican-grill aroma wafting through the place builds anticipation as you choose a writing utensil from a jar load of connecter pens and get to ticking the boxes on these nifty little rectangular ordering cards, building your dream burrito, nachos or soft or hard shell tacos from scratch. More than just a novelty, ordering like this lets you make sure that they refrain from loading your burrito up with a bunch of rabbit food or any undesirable fillings. The beef and pork is generally good, although can occasionally be a wee bit dry, a problem that haunts the lime rice should you rock up late enough at night. The chicken on the other hand, has been consistently moist and reliable. Vegetarians aren't left entirely out of the fiesta as you could just opt for pinto beans, lettuce, a range of tomato or corn salsas and double up on cheese. If you're vegan, don't bother. You'd have better luck munching on that cow statue across the road then chancing anything at Arriba. Having tried only the burritos, I can't vouch for the nachos and tacos, but the burritos...man, the burritos...Okay! If you've grown up on say, Old El Paso and Montezumas, you'll be in for a surprise. This ain't some slathered in sauce and cheese than baked 'til piping hot experience you'll get at Monte's. These burritos are only 6 inches long, but as wide as the day is long. These things are packed. Something else that has always fascinated me about Arriba Grill is the temperature of the burrito. It's never hot right through. The meat, beans and rice is hot, and I believe they warm it slightly before sending it out, but the cheese never even starts to melt, so if you get sour cream, you don't have to worry about it curdling and getting all watery and sogging up your burrito. The contrast in temperatures really highlights the flavors and just tastes so darn fresh. The tomato salsa isn't overpowering but it's prominent and leaves a nice aftertaste. For the fire breathing heat lovers out there, even the hot salsa ain't gonna set your world on fire, but assuming you're not a dragon, you should be satisfied with the zing it provides should you want your burrito to have a little more personality. Speaking of personality, I would be remiss to not mention the staff. Across the board, they've all been at worst, friendly with a smile. At best? Well, if you've been served by the little lass who oozes enthusiasm and even gets a bit musical upon reading your order, you'll know what I'm referring to. A true stand out character in a sea of today's reluctant waitstaff. On the ordering cards, I always put down the name of someone famous for a bit of a laugh, so on the day Little Miss Pocket Rocket served me, I was Sting. "Best. Parents. EVER!" was her response after setting our food down. True, I'm favorable to anyone who indulges my silly side, but putting on my unbiased hat, she's very good at her job. As far as Mexican cuisine goes, I'm no connoisseur. I'm that kid who grew up on Montezumas. I've never been to Mexico, California or any world renowned Mexican cuisine hotspot. But I've been to Arriba Grill and Tuckeria, and Arriba Grill is the best so far. Do with that what you will.

There seems to be a lot of Mexican fast food / cafes popping up in Brisbane lately, and finding one…read morein our area was a welcome surprise. It would at least provide some variety to the usual Asian take-out we seem to enjoy so much. Arriba Grill in Morningside is located in the group of shops along Wynnum Road, featuring classics like Dominos and Nandos, as well as some independent businesses. Inside its clean, inviting, and does its best to portray itself as definitely a Mexican Burrito bar, with some cactus plants on the table. The staff were friendly and I like the random addition of an old school nintendo console to one side of the store. A good way to pass the time, but I didn't attempt to give it a go. Ordering is easy, by way of a tick-and-flick order form specifying the type of tortilla (white or whole wheat), main filling (chickien, beef, pork, black beans or vegetables), extra fillings (lime rice, pinto beans, black beans) as well as the types of Salsa (mild / hot) and Salads you want (Lettuce, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream). You can add "extras" but it'll cost you from $3.00 (for the double meat), $2.00 for guacamole, through to just $1.00 for the chipotle mayo or double cheese. Seeing as the "standard" price for the burrito was already $12, I figured extras weren't necessary. I went with chicken, the appealing lime rice, cheese, and hot tomatillo. I was slightly surprised when talking to the staff and finding out that the burritos at this particular Arriba Grill weren't even made in-store. Instead they made it off-site at one of their other stores and then delivered. In all honesty I felt a little disappointed. I'm always appreciative of food that's made in-store, and fresh to go. It wasn't long before my burrito was ready and in terms of size, again, it didn't meet my expectations for the $12 I parted with. Don't judge a book by its cover though. As I tucked into it, it became apparent that there was actually heaps to get through. Sure it looked short (like a 6-inch sub) but it was definitely thick, full of the ingredients I wanted. I found it really tasty, with a bit of kick and zing all at once. It wasn't as hot as I thought it'd be, but after struggling to finish, I'm glad it wasn't. All things considered, its a decent option for take-out, although the price and their inability to create the burritos "fresh" would prevent me from giving it another try.

What a great addition to the ever-growing​ King St! We…read morepopped in on Friday afternoon and nabbed a table outside away from the hustle and bustle inside. It was happy hour so our margaritas​ were half price and delicious :-) We ordered Nacho Macho to share, Grilled Chicken Quesadillas, and a Chipotle Chicken Burrito. I would​ definitely get the nachos and quesadillas again but the burrito was jam-packed​ with rice and a bit heavy for me. Looking forward to heading back again and again!

Basic food and even more basic service. Paid $25 for a Marguerita with zero taste of alcohol , was…read moretold they are pre-made and no acknowedgement that there was no tequila despite 10 people testing it and agreeing. Manager made me another pre-made drink again with zero taste. Manager was terrible and would never recommend this place to anyone. Overpriced and under delivers.

Prices are as reasonable as any Mexican. But the reason this quaint little bar next to the Thai…read morerestaurant on Oxford St gets packed night after night is because of the drinks and menu. With the usual taco and burrito flairing varieties is a myriad of classic almost not Mexican if it wasn't for the sauce items. Items like the succulent pork ribs which might I add fell off the strangely long bones... and the chicken breast with a sauce that tasted like a weird salsa mixed with cream type substance. Also tender and quite the yum. There is also beef ribs and other dishes that help make La Quinta cross the line past regular semi decent Mexican place to decent Mexican place with a touch of class. I thought it was a great idea to put the flag on the top of the cactus Whenever you required the waiter, genius. Simple and effective. Great place to come and catch up with friends, tables are fairly close together so I wouldn't recommend bringing a pram for you mums out there. Also ring ahead for Fri, Sat and Sun, like ring on Thursday ahead.

What do you think of when you think of Mexican? What comes to my mind is beer, mexican hats, tacos…read moreand La Quinta Mexican. They certainly do a good job here, the food is amazing plus they have great cocktails. All in all, not a bad evening out I reckon. I came here not long ago on a week night. It is not as busy as you will find of a weekend and it was nice to reward myself after a particularly long day of work with some nacho goodness and a drink of two. I realise nachos are not normally considered a main meal, but I don't really care, I find it hard to go past them on a menu and these come with tasty BBQ chicken.

Maybe it's getting the kinks out, I dunno. We live one block south of Oxford Street & have been…read morelooking to see this place open. Excited to finally sit down. Tables on the street were too crowded next to each other. Kept bumping into the other people on each side of us, so we finally went inside. The menue is misleading & the food is more from Honduras than Mexico. I've been to Mexico on multiple occasions and I know the difference between a burrito & a turd wrapped in a tortilla. My wife had an Enchillada - I think the chef should google it. Not even close. The salsa's were some form of art project and when I asked for a side of jalapeno's, I got one deepfried. c'mon guys.... keep it simple. If this is Mexican, I'm going to start taking LSD to get my mind into the same plateau as the chef so my expectations will be lower. It's kinda hard to mess up Mexican food, but hey - now I know to avoid the place. Over priced @ $45 for two in relation to what we ordered, and what we got. Good luck if you go here. Staff was friendly though, & they did try 3 times to get our order right. Chips were stale and cold & nothing to dip em in. Obviously, neither of us were thrilled & will not be going back.

My inner foodie is doing somersaults of joy at the amount of new establishments opening up along…read moreOxford Street. But of course this also means to make way for these fresh new options, older establishments have had to close their doors.. As seems to be the cycle of life along this busy strip. After today's visit I'm a firm fan of La Cantina Mexicana, one of the very freshest new-kids-on-the-Oxford-St-block, and I sincerely hope the locals and visitors will embrace its casual and fresh atmosphere. On our visit today we were welcomed by beautiful bright and cheery fence palings outside the restaurant. The scene was completed by the two men sitting at the outdoor bar on stools with icy cold Coronas. The traditional (and amazingly not cheesy) music filled our ears as we entered the restaurant and we were instantly transported to what I imagine a real Mexican cantina to feel like. Staff were very welcoming and courteous. We chose indoor seating at one of a few mosaic tables with comfortable leather benches over the less formal option in the adjacent room filled with tables and bar stools - I would imagine this other space being used for drinks and bar snacks and could be used for functions. The menu was everything you would expect from a traditional restaurant with many Mexican favourites. I was pleasantly surprised to see some interesting extras such as the snapper with avocado salsa. We settled on the fish mentioned above, with the tacos with chicken and two Coronas to accompany the meals. The men sitting outside did their job selling the idea of an early afternoon beverage. We were quickly served our drinks along with a starter "on the house" which consisted of the most creamy and deliciously spiced corn I have ever had. Staff explained that this was usually a drinking snack over in Mexico, and we were asked to report on how we liked it. The meals arrived quickly after the starter was polished off and our fingers were licked. My tacos were presented on a long plate with many lovely small jars filled with spiced chicken mixed with corn and beans, guacamole (wasted on me as I'm allergic), sour cream, shredded tasty cheese and a mild chilli sauce. I had great fun filling the tacos up and having them crack all over me! We decided tacos were definitely not a good first date meal choice, but thankfully after being together for 6+ years the man-thing was fine with seeing me with taco filling all down my chin. ;) The tacos themselves were thick and delicious, and all of the ingredients tasted very fresh. The snapper was served in a lovely buttery taco shell filled with salad. Two jars contained the avocado salsa and sour cream. The fish itself was deep fried and crumbed, and was rather dry. Everything else was lovely according to the man (I couldn't taste the salsa) - very fresh and seasoned beautifully. I would have liked to have seen the fish steamed or fried without the coating to let the flavour of the fresh fish really work its magic. It came to just over $50 all up; very reasonable in my mind. I advised the staff the corn was delectable, and they were happy to hear we would be coming back very soon - most likely with friends in tow for a few evening nibbles and drinks. I don't think this place will have any issues competing with La Quinta Inn further down the strip. The atmosphere in this little eatery is more casual, light, and bar oriented than their more formal sit-down restaurant counterpart. I am dying to go back and sink a few more coronas and get stuck into their margaritas.

Recently bought by the barista himself this place is a real local "pop in for a take away coffee"…read morekind of place. The barista is friendly and know's his regulars which is always a good sign. If you choose to stay for a while the cafe is decked out with eclectic furniture, choose your own mug and the morning sun. Only a small food selection of toasties & muffins but its more about the coffee. Give it a shot if you haven't been by for a while.

Blue Poppy is a small suburban café nestled into the otherwise unassuming Asquith Street, quietly…read moreremoved form the busy Richmond Road. During the week Blue Poppy offers the usual range of espresso-based coffees and teas, as well as a number of juices (and poppers!), pre-packed sandwiches and usual café fair that is thick cut banana bread and other small sweets. During the week only pre-prepared food is available, though they do offer a cooked breakfast on weekends. The banana bread that I had was nicely toasted, and pretty thick given the price. The coffee, made from di Bella beans, is excellently pulled. There is no bitterness in the espresso and the beans are well balanced. If you can get in between 7.30-8.30am, the coffee comes in at an astounding $2 for the regular (single shot) size. Cold pressed iced coffees and iced chocolates are also available in the fridge. The place has a warm suburban feel, and the staff are exceedingly friendly. Despite being staffed by a single person, the service is prompt and quick. Dog friendly, though the dogs are kept outside.

Possibly the best food I have had in a very, very long time. A most satisfying restaurant…read moreexperience with top quality service. We dined in the external part of the building and were greeted with a smile and a digital menu to use. Our entrees came out very quickly and we're absolutely delicious. During the entree, our main meals arrived. They were all piping hot, with a great taste sensation. It was all perfectly cooked and the members of our table all commented on how fantastic the food was! I think this will be my new regular Mexican dining spot! Thanks for a great experience.

Ate here last week and its now my fav mexican place in brisbane!!! Service was outstanding, food…read morewas amazing and prices were definatly reasonable.... just wish it was closer to home lol

Save yourself the hassle and go to Pepe's Newmarket instead. Better portions, better quality,…read morebetter prices, better food! We thought we'd try something new and were thoroughly disappointed in the quality of the meals. I wouldn't really recommend this place to anyone but would more so encourage them to go elsewhere for their Mexican culinary desires. I even got accosted online by the owner after posting this review on Facebook and Google.

Above average decor with below average service. This…read moreCalifornia themed restaurant is uniquely decorated with great mold lighting and fun Knick knacks, it can surely transport you out of the usual Brisbane scene. However it won't take you all the way to America with its cuisine. Food options consists of variations of nachos, tacos, fajitas and enchiladas. I got the jalapeño poppers starters which I would say is their best item and comes with a great dipping sauce. The braised beef taco was a bit dry. The steak fajita was a bit small for two men but tasted good. A lot of fun drinks to choose from. Had the pomegranate margarita which was more of a cocktail than a marg but still tasted great. Service had a few issues. Originally booked online for an outdoor table and when I arrived I had told them that and was flippantly told there was no room outside. I added I specifically chose outdoor in the booking and server replied "they all book outdoor" and then was shown to an indoor table by the entrance instead. Which was a bit noisy and didn't have the ambience I had wanted for night. None of the servers wore masks even though there is still a mask mandate unsure why that is, they do get pretty close and handle the food. None of the kitchen staff or bartenders wore masks either. Service was on the slow side. Waited approx an hour before getting our started and another 15 min for the mains. Ambience outdoor is what caught my eye originally. Large outdoor seating area with lights on the tree and string of bulb lights that borders the whole area for a great mood setter. Indoor tables can get quite noisy with the acoustics and crowded with servers bustling by. All in all unique find. Decent food. Plenty of drink options. A few areas of concern with service.