I came here for lunch with a group of fellow students while at a convention in Lancaster. It wasn't far from the convention center, so we decided to check it out. They have an interesting dynamic; they give you menus at the table and then you have to order at the cash register. I ordered the vegetarian cheese enchiladas. They were ready quickly, which is nice since we were on a time crunch. I live in an area with a very high Mexican population, so I know authentic Mexican food when I taste it. This place was alright. The enchiladas were definitely not my favorite, but they were not bad. My friends said they really enjoyed the burritos and the chips. Maybe I'd try that if I ended up eating here again. read more

This place is pretty good! Located right across the street from The Ware Center in downtown Lancaster. I have class there so I grabbed some tacos from here before class. They were pretty good, the chicken could have been more grilled. The cilantro was fresh and the pico was too. I got the hot sauce to put on top and boy was it hot. My mouth is still on fire as I right this and I loved it. Two chicken tacos was only 6$ ish dollars. That's pretty good for dinner. I'll be grabbing tacos from here more often! Tacos are sold a la carte BTW! Found a new spot and that's always exciting! read more

Cocina Mexicana - Cute interior - Mexican Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

This is my go to place for authentic (home style) Mexican food. It tastes just like my grandmother's cooking! I've tried a vast array of dishes (mole enchiladas, sopes, Chile rellenos) and all of them have been excellent! read more

Cocina Mexicana is the best Mexican in Lancaster, with only one other place (El Pueblito) even coming close. The food is an amazing value, and it's impossible for my partner and I to leave without ordering WAY too much. Our standard order is many tacos (pastor and chorizo are required) and then whatever else we're in the mood for. We've never been disappointed, and leftovers are almost the best part. The new location is bright and comfortable, but the ordering and seating situation is a little confusing. Service has always been the most unpredictable aspect of visiting the restaurant, and that doesn't seem to have gotten better. It's not off-putting, just head scratching. Being able to bring beer over from 2nd Gear is a HUGE bonus. read more

Finally have the opportunity to visit the most claimed authentic Mexican restaurant in the lancaster city. We walked in a Saturday afternoon and was greeted by the waitress.. We looked the menu and indeed lots of stuff I was not familiar with but seem to be delicious. We order torta Hawaiian and pozole with tamarin juice.. The order went in and 10min the plate was at my table.. It taste delicious and home made.. I think I have time traveled to mexico and back.. The place is small but clean there was no waiting.. The parking can be a hassle for street parking but there is two huge city parking buildings next door.. Definitely a place to return read more

Cocina Mexicana - Hawaiian torta.. Delicious - Mexican Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I got what was recommended as the house special. The enchilada was good. My steak was well over cooked and very tough. Little irritated I was told everything was homemade. The tortillas are not. That is a big part of Mexican food. May give it one more try to check out the Tortas read more

Cocina Mexicana - House special - Mexican Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

very good food but a bit pricey, if you order small they don't take near as good of you as if you order $25+

It's got it. From the lit up and bright atmosphere to the Mexican jams, the nice service. And....of course the food. I've had one of the dinner plates, nibbled on shrimp enchiladas, and a variety of the tacos (cactus?!!!!) and a chicken sandwich with guac!! With the fantastic 3 hot sauces it all becomes magic in your mouth. So, if you like magic in your mouth, do it! read more

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The food was very good! BUT the burrito was youth size and tacos are $3. Left here down $20 & still hungry. That's a 2 from me boss. I never left a Mexican restaurant hungry before lol. read more

THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO EAT IN LANC!! The food always slaps and I can always count on having an amazing meal. The workers are so kind and welcoming, I love them. The service is quick and the atmosphere is amazing. I love this place so much. Pls come and eat here if you have the chance. read more

My wife and I visited this establishment and were rudely treated by the manager Jose. My wife who is a Lancaster General Hospital employee rarely has an early evening off. Needless to say she was very disappointed. When I expressed my displeasure to Jose regarding his customer service...his comment to me was "If you don't like the service you can leave!" We will not be going back. read more

You call this Spanish food!!! Disappointed isn't the word. Never again. Food taste good but look how much space is in that container. Not worth it. This was also ordered through DoorDash. read more

Cocina Mexicana - Arroz con pollo - Mexican Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I received a gift certificate from a friend as an Xmas gift for carryout courier. I browsed the catalog and settled on what seemed authentic Mexican food. Carryout courier said if I didn't use the full amount I'd lose what was left. So I bought enough to cover 2 lunches. The food arrived very fast and was piping hot. What a disappointment. The potato & onion taco was tasteless Carne asada taco the meat was dry Pollo taco, the same. Dry and tasteless. The one bright shining example was the traditional ground beef taco. The asada burrito, having the same meat as the taco was dry. The pollo burrito was overstuffed with rice and again the meat dry. I ordered a side of refried pintos and sour cream There were absolutely no sauces or condiments supplied. I was so disappointed because there is not a wide range of what you could call authentic Mexican food around here and I thought finally I found a good place. But I was mistaken. A poor choice for a close friends gift read more

The service was pleasant enough, but painfully slow. Water refill was sporadic. Food was runny, bland, blah. Lunch for 3 ran to $60....not worth the price. read more

The rumors are true, this is an authentic mexican restaurant in downtown lancaster. Really, the ONLY mexican restaurant in downtown Lancaster. However - in my opinion - that doesn't make it awesome... The one thing I have been pleased with each time I have dined here is the customer service and the fresh guacamole. Otherwise, I have only been moderately pleased with their food. The corn tacos and quesidilla were very dry and the tortillas fell apart when picked up. The taco salad was very good as well as the Enchiladas, but nothing to rave about and warrant more than 3 stars. I'm sorry to go against so many of the other reviewers here that seem to love La Cocina Mexicana, I'm thrilled that a Mexican place like this can survive downtown. But that doesn't make up for the lack of uphm i felt in my meals here. Oh and also....where are the drinks? read more

Cocina Mexicana has been on my "To Try" list for a while now. I originally discovered it while driving thru Lancaster. I noted two Mexican restaurants. The first was Senorita Burrito, which I was less than impressed with. It's okay food, but it's really not what I consider to be Mexican - more the upper Californian mexi-styled health-food. So this past week I visited Cocina Mexicana. I was quite pleased. This is DEFINITELY "Authentic". The menu is reasonably priced, tacos ranged from about $1.50 - $2.50. But it can add up quick because there are so many diverse options you just want to try them all. For example, I ordered the following: Carnitas taco, Carne asada taco, pork tamale, a side of rice, chorizo taco, and a taco of potatoes, onions, etc. All were delicious. Though I think in hindsight I should have mixed the last two together. They provided three sauces, (green, a picante, and a red) all were tasty. And they offered to double-up on the tortillas for the tacos (always a plus). I also enjoyed a Jarritos Tamarindo and had a couple dirt-suckers for desert (tamarind/chili powder lollipops). And left quite full, and yet wishing I had room to eat more. *lol* One thing that I really like about Cocina Mexicana is that they have some of the more unusual fair. Tacos filled with potatoes, cactus, onions, beef tongue, etc. *** So it looks like I've finally found a good Mexican restaurant in Lancaster to frequent. Yes, I plan to be back...and often! Five stars, for being about as good as it gets in Pennsylvania. read more

Awful and hugely disappointing. The portion size is an absolute joke, and the food is mediocre at best. For what you get, the food is grossly overpriced. Never again will I eat here; I recommend you don't either. read more

Cocina Mexicana - A "burrito" .. this is a joke right? So small and not good at all. Is this made for a child? - Mexican Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I eat at Cocina Mexicanna at least twice a month. I always have the guacamole & carnitas tacos. Both are delicious and I could eat the tacos for lunch and dinner (sometimes I have) and not be sick of them. :) Service is sometimes slow in this tiny place but, the food is worth the wait. I wish they were open on Sun! read more

Five stars. Boom. This is easily my favorite restaurant in Lancaster city. It's authenticity is not to be debated. Lucy is Mexican and so is her food. And it's good. I've been around the states a good bit and, the southwest not withstanding, this is one of the best Mexican joints I've ever found. The atmosphere is great too. Yellow walls adorned by fun pottery, great photographs and colorful blankets. They alway have some mix playing of great Mexican music too. Sometimes I'll eat here two or three days in a row, but that's just me. Visit Lucy. read more

Sat down and noticed the people at the table next to us paid for their cokes and walked out (they give bottles of coke, not a foubtain drink). We should have walked out too. There was nobody in the place!! only 2 other tables and no-one had food. I asked if this was a bad time and he said "no we just had a mix up in the kitchen". Took forever to have them take our order, NO chips brought to table. We ordered some but they never came. We needed to get up to ask for them before the meal. Then we got like 10 chips and had to aak for more a few times. It waa ridiculous the chips were not even enough to make a dent in the guac. We had to also ask for the hot sauces. The people at the table next to us were also asking more chips. OMG why are they skimping on the chips? The food was "ok" when it came, but portions were pretty small, which was ok this time cause we were not crazy hungry. When the bill came, sheesh, tgey charged extra for tomatos and lettuce for the tacos, and most shocking was that they charge $2.45 for pico de gallo we didn't even ask for or touch it!! (When we ordered the guac I asked if "salsa came with that" and he said "yes"). It felt like a bunch of teens were running the place. Best to go elsewhere folks! Avoid this place! read more

Cocina Mexicana - Mexican Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Tacos served standard with onion and cilantro? Respectable guacamole? Surprisingly...authentic? Yelp has once again led me to a worthy dining option in the middle of Dutch country. Yes, the homemade tortilla chips were a tad greasy and didn't taste like corn but the guacamole was tasty. The carne asada tacos were done right and juicy in all the right ways. The "hot" sauce was more mild than anything but overall this place really hit the spot. La Cocina Mexicana is a worthy Mexican option when you miss the authentic, big city flavors of Mexico at home. read more

This review is solely on the horchata. Cheap and refreshing, it's even cheaper than the prices in Barcelona! $1.25 for a large, can't get any better than that. I've had horchata twice in my life, once in Barcelona and once in Providence. I've never had anything cheaper than $2 for horchata. The cinnamon flavor is pretty strong at Cocina Mexicana. It was a little too sweet for me but other than that, it's pretty good. I'd love to come back to try the food here though, all the items on the menu sound really appetizing! read more

Probably the best and most authentic Mexican food in Lancaster although I have not tried them all. It is decorated beautifully and the smells from the kitchen will make you incredibly hungry, in case you already weren't. Come with a big group, I came with a large group of people I know from an online community, and it works out perfect because you can order a lot and just share everything. Don't bother with forks, just use a tortilla to "sop" up the food and eat with your hands like they actually do in Mexico. Not to be missed! read more

An interesting place to eat, which in many ways pushes back on the way that most of us have come to understand Mexican food.First, chips and salsa is a HUGE MISNOMER - you get about 15 chips (not even kidding) and a cup of pico de gallo. Second, traditional "salsa" is supposed to be a sauce, and Cocina Mexicana supports that idea by offering several different types of "salsas" with different entrees, but don't go expecting a salsa bar. Third, the food is actually pretty good, but again, the items are authentic Mexican and NOT what Americans have come to expect from the typical "Mexican" restaurants scattered across the U.S. There are many tasty chicken dishes, as well as tortas, and tacos. Oh, and if you order a drink, you get a 20 oz. bottle. read more

Sitting in this restaurant I was wondering what the heck took me so long to try this place! Yummy food is an understatement!!! Good choices for vegans and vegetarians! There salsas are the best! Very authentic! Queso and crema instead of jack cheese and sour cream! If you love REAL Mexican food...go here NOW! read more

I had shredded chicken and chorizo and tacos. It was good. Like the hair man said, it is small, but I didn't find any hair. I'm glad I didn't read this guy's review before I went, because I most likely would not have gone. And I'm glad I did go. I would go here again. And keep going. Until I find hair. Man that sucks. They have lengua there too. Next time i'm going to order some tongue tacos. So tender. Damn Boyee! read more

It's a go to spot to satisfy our huarache, taco and torta fix. The preparation is always spot on, and the new menu items made this place a 2x a week spot. If you haven't experienced the maiz con rajas taco, you are missing out. read more

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I was a regular at the Prince Street location. The staff was friendly and the food was always excellent. I loved the family atmosphere. When I heard about the move to Water Street, I was excited because it was going to be closer to me. I have eaten in and had take out at the new location a few times. The quality of the food has gone down. They no offer homemade tortilla chips. At first I thought they had growing pains. I recently went for dine in at a slow time. The were multiple staff members at the cash register. With the extra staffing, one would think we would have been well taken care of. My food was barely room temp. We were never offered refills on our drinks and were never given our check while other tables were given their check. I'll hold off on returning for awhile and hopefully, things will improve. read more

Food is very good. I did not like that everything is ala cart. Even chips and salsa cost extra and they do not give you a lot. I would rather pay a little extra for combinations and complementary chips and salsa. I think they are trying to be fast food but with a sitdown restaurant atmosphere. Confusing. read more

This is a top-notch Mexican restaurant. Very affordable. Very fresh, light food, full of flavor. Very authentic. I especially like the soups and tacos--there are some great choices for the tacos here that you won't find elsewhere. There are three salsas; the dark red is mild and bland and, IMHO, not worth trying. The green is mild by my standard but Lancastrians would probably consider it "Medium"; it is pleasantly tangy and flavorful. The orange is hot and bitter, and very aromatic and flavorful. The inside is pretty small but it is well-organized, and there's a decent amount of seating for such a small space. Service is good and food preparation is fast. This place is top-notch all around and is an immense asset to the city of Lancaster. read more

Lengua taco and sopes were excellent. Coming from Southern California I can say that the food seems quite authentic to me. This is now our go to Mexican spot. read more

Any one who puts less then 4 stars for this place has zero meter for value. The portions here are not AMERICAN but it's because the food is not american. It's real life mexican food with stellar ingredients and tops attention to flavor. The quac is out of control good. It's the only place in lancaster where the flavor isn't too lemony. Tacos are a great way to go and you pay something like $2 for each so get 3. Mix and match them too. The flautas are my entree choice. Their beans are like none I've ever had; soupy but good soupy. If you want eggs the huevos is an obvious choice. Chiliquiles are great too. Get the flan for desert. Coke with real sugar here. What else.... Tamales vary from week to week so check that on the special board Best Mexican in Lancaster. read more

I ordered Enchiladas Verdes. Around $9, comes on a huge plate with Mexican rice and choice of black or pinto refried beans. The verde sauce was good, I wish the enchiladas had been baked rather than just rolled and had the sauce dumped on top. Food took around 8 minutes from walking in, ordering, to eating. Classic authentic Mexican for really, really cheap. The hot sauces were good too! read more

hands down the best Mexican restaurant in lancaster. The owner is sweet and the staff is always very kind. Food is on point. The hot sauce is bomb! convenient location down town read more

After reading some of the reviews I wasn't sure about this place but I was determined to try it. I recently moved from Los Angeles and have been craving Mexican food. It was me the hubby and our 3 kids all of us love Mexican food. So we ordered a little disappointed that you are not served chips and salsa. But we ordered two baskets of chips .95 cents a basket. Totally worth it. Chips are really good. The kids meals are perfect kid portions and well priced. I got two carnitas tacos...The carnitas was perfect for me. But I don't like spicy. Overall the food was decent and it's not expensive. If you are not from the area you will most likely be disappointed. I will probably eat here again but won't be a frequent customer. I'm still in search for the perfect Mexican food.... read more

I'm so glad I'm close to Cocina! Authentic mexican food, delicious tacos, rice & beans, and I love the guacamole! I'm a forever customer.

Authentic Mexican - great flavors many options! Line out the door but we were seated quickly and our server was very friendly.

Oh... I'm so glad that I ate here. I'm no expert on authentic Mexican, but I can tell you that this isn't the same menu that you'd find at some Mexican joints, nor is it the American brass-rail version of Mexican. Started with two things off the specials board: Chips with Guacamole, and Posole. The guacamole was divine, some of the best I've ever had. It had the texture of butter at room temperature. The broth in the posole was also excellent, and the hunk of pork in the soup fell apart when touched with my spoon. I regret that I only ordered a cup. My entree was good, not great. I had pork in green chili sauce with zuchinni and cactus. My wife ordered three different tacos and each were just excellent. They have a nice variety of tacos, and you'll be very pleased if your a vegetarian. Their mild sauce reminded me of the red chili sauce common in New Mexico. I wish they'd bottle it and sell it. They also allow you to BYO alcohol. I'll come armed with a bottle of wine next time - and there will be many next times in my future. I'll drive up from Baltimore to eat here on a lazy weekend day. Note that they are closed on Sundays, and close at 8:30 the nights they are open. read more

It was good up until I found a hair... ---------- FOOD: I got an enchilada rojas platter and it was certainly unique looking and tasting. As I was about halfway thru I found a big ol hair tangled up in my enchilada. That sucked! I was into this.. Otherwise, it was good.. Just a warning, some of the menu is in spanish. So if you dont have a basic grasp of it, take someone who does. DECOR: Its a small cafe type store with not a huge number of tables inside. Lots of spanish decor. SERVICE: Good. The waitress was nice and charged me half price because of the hair thing. ---------- FINAL THOUGHTS: Would I go back? Probably not. Its just a "hair" out of my usual range, and given that I got a hair in my food on the first try.. read more

This place is sub par. Food was about average, but the worst thing was the long service. I cannot believe it takes so long to bring some chips and guacamole out as an appetizer. Just when we wanted the check, the waiter disappears and comes back 15 minutes with the check. Very surprised, because usually the restaurant wants you out as soon as you are done your meal. Good place to try if you've never been, however, be prepared to wait. read more