Stopped by for a Friday happy hour, was seated quickly and let them know we were there just for happy hour. There was some menu juggling and our waiter came back with the happy hour menu. We ordered a couple of tasty margaritas and a bacon wrapped pepper dish that was yummy and some odd hot wings that seemed to be sauced in something like a mild Thai chili sauce. Overall, it was a nice time with good food and we'd go back. At some point long after putting the order in, the waiter swung by to tell us that our apps were not really on the HH menu. He didn't offer to adjust the price or let us change out order. He just dropped that news on the table and walked off. I might have started laughing in embarrassment. It would have been rad to have a good Mexican HH near the house but this is not it. read more

I live near by and finally decided to give this place a try. The staff is very friendly which was good and why I give it 2 stars. The food was not so good. I had the mole Oaxaceño. The mole sauce was decent but the chicken was very rubbery and dry, as if it had been boiled for too long. My friend had fajitas and he struggles to cut through the steak as it was also very tough. I was hoping it would be good since it it is so close to my home. read more

El Cisne Restaurant - Chicken in Mole Oacaxeño. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Had the Carne Seca Tacos. Delish! Was just back again for the Cheese Enchiladas...yum! read more

El Cisne Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

COVID dining, stopped in for a late dinner on Tuesday night arriving about 8 pm. There were people at the bar and a couple dining, slow weeknight I'm sure. Keep in mind we have been here before and each we have we've enjoyed it. Well, getting back to Tuesday night, Judy had the Carne Asada tacos, her staple and I ordered the Sea Bass but to start things off we had their Chili Guerritos wrapped in bacon and stuffed with shrimp which Claudia (waitress) suggested for an appetizer. You get them all over town wrapped in bacon and sometimes stuffed with cheese but not like this. These were DEEELICIOUS and huge, about 5-6", just can say enough about them sooooooo good! Then came the Sea Bass which I've had before a long time ago. This dish was amazingly good, if you like fish and you want quality.....I know exactly where you need to come....WOW! Service from Claudia was great, very personable and knew what to suggest and recommend. This may well be the best meal and time here except we miss the guitarist who occasionally plays and adds so much ambiance to the place. Phil, your staff here only gets better along with the food....and that is saying a lot because you've been great in the past. Que comida tan sabrosa!!!!! read more

El Cisne Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Ate there For our first time a few weeks ago. Had wanted to go for quite some time, didn't know what to expect. Unfortunately we picked a night there was a convention or something taking over half of the restaurant and it was extremely noisy which detracts a lot from the ambience The food was tasty , might attempt a 2nd try in the future. Our waiter ( Alejandro) was very attentive but I'd most like to compliment 2 of the workers that evening who were phenomenal in their very pleasant demeanor & their non-tiring ' go-go-go' , they both were on the constant move & total attention to all details. Their names are Alberto ( Beto?) a waiter & Anna who was in constant motion cleaning tables & always with an eye out to see if anyone needed attention. Very , very impressive. read more

Enjoyable ambience with a friendly welcome but accosted my friends because I didn't leave a tip. I was charged for a drink I had returned and had replaced. It was served with cherries which I'm allergic to and it wasn't stated in the menu. The chicken was so dry and tough, the cheapest parmigiana on my salad tasted like cardboard, food overall wasn't good and I felt the service was poor so on a $100 bill I didn't tip. They then yelled at my friends about me not tipping. So incredibly unprofessional to take it that far. First time not tipping in my life but I don't think they are entitled to a tip when the bare minimum wasn't even met. (I even left a note on the bill as to why I didn't tip) If the waiter had been more present I would have pulled them aside and kindly asked but they weren't. Also noteworthy they added something to my friends bill and she had to dispute it, so errors all around. But to accost my friends about me not tipping it is so outrageous and inappropriate. I understand being upset thats not how it should be handled especially when I hand wrote a note on the bill. read more

Seven (7) of us had lunch at El Cisne at 12:30pm on May 28th. The restaurant was very quiet; service was very fast, efficient, and pleasant. My wife had the chicken caldo, which she said was excellent. I had two chili rellenos with the tomatillo sauce on the side and an order of black beans--they were excellent. Outside of my mother-in-law, who is a Mexicana and 101 years old, El Cisne makes the best chili rellenos that I've found in Tucson. They're my "go to" restaurant for them. I had two house margaritas, which were also excellent. My only suggestion would be that they should make "prickly pear margaritas", which they currently don't do. A solid 4-star restaurant and we will return. read more

We sat outside and felt safe. The service was excellent. I had the shrimp salad with the tortilla shell and it was absolutely amazing. So tasty with huge yummy shrimp!!! My husband's fish tacos were cooked to perfection! Plenty of chips and salsa..... just great food. However, the margarita was not that great. Not very flavorful, unfortunately, and that's why they didn't get a 5 star. Highly recommended read more

Loved the chips & salsa, or I did until they started charging for refills. (I get it if you were not ordering anything else but the charge regardless now) I don't know of any other Mexican restaurant that does. it's a shame, guess its time to find a new favorite place. read more

I really tried to like this place because I heard it's the same owners of La Placita Cafe but El Cisne leaves you wanting. For starters, the ambiance is lacking. The tables are assembled in a large room without dividers. I personally prefer not to have other customers in full view while I'm trying to have an intimate dinner. This could be easily changed by rearranging things a bit. The "fresh" guacamole that came out had that smell of left over food with a slight souring that said "I'm old-don't eat me!" The highlight was the tortilla soup but you must ask for a side of pico de gallo and throw it in the soup to make it tasty. Otherwise, it was a bit bland. This was the second time I tried El Cisne-not sure there will be a third read more

We had lunch here yesterday and it was by far the worst Mexican food we ever tasted. We each had margarita, my husband had a burrito and I had a combo dinner. Our bill was $73., to add insult to injury. Stay away from this place! read more

Recently we went to El Sisne for the first time. We have driven by here many times, but never stopped. The place was starting to get busy when we arrived around 5:00 - 5:15. We sat down and the server immediately took our drink order - they had some happy hour discount specials on drinks. I tried the enchiladas with the red sauce on this, my first visit. The sauce was not too flavorful, but the filling, rice & beans were all very good. Their menu has quite a few dishes and definitely will want to return and try some other items. Service was excellent all evening! The salsa is very good - they stated that there was a charge for extra chips, but we did not need any additional chips during the evening. The prices were a little higher than some other restaurants, but not too bad. Good food and service - glad to see a "mom & pop" restaurant doing well! read more

i ordered a plate of cheese enchiladas to go. first the price is 18.00 which is ridiculous for this plate. the portion is small and then the cheese is not melted. literally shredded cheese still whole. rice was not soft enough. so not happy read more

Went for dinner with my husband. I ordered the sea bass. It was supposed to come with a lemon caper sauce. But it didn't when the waitress put it down on the table I asked where is the sauce? Oh my she says and runs back to kitchen, returns and says they are out of capers. What? There is a Safeway across the street! Very disappointed because my husband already had his dinner so no making something else for me. I don't believe it was a 9oz filet of fish either. Pretty pricey for not having the ingredients you need. No compensation on the bill. Won't be back! read more

High quality, tasty, consistent, and great value for the $$$. Standard menu, but always flavorful and fresh. Fast, friendly service - always with a smile. Usual selection of Mexican beer on draft plus a local or two. Does have a wine list. Nothing pretentious - just really good food in a relaxed atmosphere. Our "go-to" for Mexican food! read more

My husband traveled extensively in southern Mexico so I was excited to try this out with my kids so I could take him there for his birthday. Unfortunately the food was not spectacular, nor was the service. It took them a while to seat us even though 3 employees saw us waiting at the entrance. When we did get seated we were ignored for a good 5 minutes until I had to wave my arms to get someone's attention. Even though the waitress who finally took our order did inform us about the issues plaguing the restaurant that evening, we were hoping the food would redeem the long wait. It did not. The chicken Mole was dry and unimpressive. The Veracruzana I could have made at home with a can of tomatoes, frozen chicken breast and throwing in green bell peppers without any added spicing. When we asked for another soup-bowl-sized order of chips the girl practically threw it on the table. I'm all for supporting local establishments but for the price tag we paid I would prefer to go to Chili's. read more

Yesterday, a friend and I visited El Cisne. I was looking forward to actually being there, after watching their tempting commercials for the last two years. We sat outside, and it was quite pleasant. We began with salsa and chips, which I enjoyed. Then, I had two Flautas De Pollo Tacos. I had never had "rolled" tacos before, but they were absolutely fantastic! The tacos came with sour cream, guacamole, rice and I ordered refried beans. Everything, the atmosphere, the food, and the service, was top shelf! I will certainly be coming back for more! read more

This restaurant is beyond amazing.!. It is about time Tucson had another gem that we can all treasure. The food is fantastic and reasonably priced and the staff bends over backwards to make your lunch or dinner or whatever you're there for beyond amazing!!! What a memorable experience!!!! WE will be back soon, hope this treasure stays in business as so many great restaurants don't make it in Tucson. Yummmm!!! read more

Such an enormous disappointment. We were greeted and seated promptly and mostly, the service was good. However, after a waiter brought us drinks, another server came by to take our drink order. It was kind of odd. The food however... wow. It was mediocre at best. My husband thought his dish was ok but my chimichanga was so overcooked and bland that it wasn't worth eating. It came with unspiced beans (literally not even salt but just boiled mashed beans) and a strange wilted salad with no dressing. The worst part was that this place is really expensive and not even close to being worth it. read more

Locally owned fresh Latin cuisine with elegant atmosphere and service Burritos include meat-only stuffing with beans/rice on the side-yum! Chorizo-poblano quesadilla was spectacular with paper thin grilled flour tortilla enclosing very tasty filling topped by fresh guacamole and crema Sunny lunch patio and elegant dining room Best value in the Foothills area read more

Our first time - Lunch on a quiet Tuesday. I had enchiladas pollo, Mrs chile relleno. Both quite flavorful. Good service. Next is to come for dinner. I've been told that their Mole is exceptional. So, a provisional four star rating. read more

I ordered Chicken Mole the meal was so delicious! The sautéd vegetables were perfect. The Mole super delicious and you could taste each individual flavor! Also had Carne Seca cheese Crisp that tortured me my whole drive home Thank you for the perfect meal! read more

We ordered on DoorDash, which told us it would be ready in an hour... which was kinda long but no big deal. We show up at the restaurant to pick it up and end up waiting for ANOTHER HOUR (should've just left but we were trying to be patient with COVID going on and we were really looking forward to trying this place out). The staff was rude and barely acknowledged us, when they did, it ended up them yelling "HOW MANY ORDERS?!", and telling us 15 more minutes after having us sit in their waiting area for 45 minutes. We should have just left but EVENTUALLY got our food, went home ate it, and woke up a few hours later vomiting. This place is simply a spot for the owner to invite his friends to hangout at his bar. Oh, and there were patrons walking in and out without masks. I don't like to complain, especially about a local business, but I got sick eating here. If you're going to run a hangout spot and have rude staff, whatever, but getting people sick is something that needs to be addressed. read more

We hadn't been to this local Mexican restaurant in years, but felt like chiles rellenos and didn't feel like getting dressed to go out. So we order the Rillito Relleno combo, and it was ready in the 15 minutes promised. We live close enough that the very good birria tacos were not soggy. The chiles rellenos were, as others have commented excellent--nice fresh chiles, not overcooked, not too cheesy. Chicken enchilada was just okay--put some salsa on top and that improved it. Beans were, as others have commented, very salty, though tasty. The amount of food for the price was excellent, though that's not a decider for me. It was nicely packed for take out--beans, salsa in separate little containers and tacos packed separately so they didn't lose crispness. We will be back. read more

Cane to Tucson for a basketball tournament and came to this little spot. It was decent. Nothing to write home about. The menu was not as selective as I wished for. It was pretty basic and just somewhere to grab a quick bite. read more

First time going to have dinner and check it out, says closes at 9 we arrived 8:15 and the bartender made unwelcoming comments and was rude to the waitstaff while we waited to be seated. We just ordered our food and another couple arrived to be kicked out and told the kitchen was closed at 8:20 again the bartender was very rude to the customers and told them to leave. Food was good, waitress did best as she could given her treatment from bartender, will not return. read more

It's often that I pass a restaurant and think I have to try it. Well I did For lunch yesterday and it was outstanding. The place was spotless and the serving staff was very courteous. I had a carne asada chimichanga and my friend had a taco plate. The chimi came with a side of rice or beans and a small array of salad . The portions were more than adequate with some to take home. I definitely will be back again. It's so sad because of the virus that many places like this are struggling. I wish I had taken a picture. read more

Food was great. Happy hour was pitiful compared to other Mexican restaurants So we ordered off the other menu. We will never go back because of the waitress and her attitude and the way she treated us read more

Hit and miss. I've had fish tacos here that were bone dry, and I've had a salad with shrimp that was great. I loved the dressing. Salsa is the bomb. All in all, there are much better mexican food choices in this town for less $$$. The only reason why we occasionally come here is because it's right around the corner from where we live, so it's a quick mexican dinner option, otherwise I would skip it completely. read more

I went for lunch yesterday. After sitting 10 minutes the waitress came asked if I was ready to order, told her I wanted 2 chicken tacos which is what I usually get when I go to lunch there. She told me the chicken tacos are not on the lunch menu, so I ordered carne asda tacos which are just as good. Since I still hadn't been asked if I wanted anything to drink I told her I would like ice tea as well. After another 10 minutes or so I got her attention & she realized she forgot my tea. Instead of apologizing she said "I have enough problems today " I don't know if she meant I was one of them. About 2 minutes later she dropped off my food without a word. Didn't see her again till I was finished eating when she dropped off the bill. Waitress was just plain rude read more

Horrible service and charged for each tiny bowl of salsa without being told that there would be a charge. First time being charged for salsa in a Mexican restaurant! Food was nothing to rave about and a big disappointment. Too many great Mexican restaurants in Tucson to waste your money here. read more

The drinks are very good. My husband loved his margarita and my sangria was great! My husband also loved his shrimp dish (which I think might have been Camarones de Guliche). Like other reviewers, I was not impressed by the ceviche. (It's one of my standard orders at many restaurants, so I feel like I know a good ceviche.) The chips were also not great, but the salsa was well done. So, 4 items out of 6 total were good. We were at the restaurant for about 1 hour and 20 minutes which seems like an average amount of time for a nice evening meal. The service seemed relaxed, but we weren't in a hurry. We'd go back. read more

El Cisne Restaurant - A shrimp dish which my husband thoroughly enjoyed. Possibly called Camarones de Guliche. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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They were rude and the server as other employees was classless. The food was cold and tasted old as if was microwaved. The beer was warm and it tasted old. They didn't want to comp our dinner so we left and went to Flemings. read more

We ordered ceviche, chicken mole, and the beef fajitas. The food was excellent and came out exceptionally fast. The tortillas tasted like they were homemade. This is an upscale Mexican restaurant and the prices reflect it. The mole was $16.95 and the beef fajitas were $13.95. They have quite a number of seafood specialties that I would like to try on another visit. The decor/ambience is modern and welcoming. The only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars was the portion size. Granted many Mexican restaurants give you an over abundance of food, but for the price, the portion size left me a little disappointed. read more

I went here a couple of times, once for dinner and once for lunch, just after it opened, a few months ago. The food was good but not great and the service was very disorganized. As could have been expected -- since the place was jammed with customers right after its opening. It was my mistake to go there too soon.... I went back for dinner a few nights ago and everything had changed for the better. I now give it five stars without any qualifications. Well, maybe one: if they had some wonderful La Brea sourdough bread to sop up their delicious enchilada sauce, then it would be a six-star place. Several years ago I started a list, not a blog, of Tucson restaurants that I had visited only in order to eat enchiladas. Right now there are 23 restaurants on it, along with brief comments describing the eats. As of my last update of a few months ago, the #1 place was La Rancherita, which is long-closed, and #2 was Karichimaka, which is way too far away for me to go to again. #3 was Rosa's, which never changes, followed by the hole-in-the-wall St. Mary's. #6 was El Cisne, one of a number of mid-quality places that were all right but clearly not as good as the top three or four. Now we have a new winner in the listing: El Cisne has jumped to the top and is the best place I have been to in Tucson for enchiladas. Both times I've been there for dinner I asked them to bring me three enchiladas instead of the two they normally serve. And I specified seafood, chicken, and beef (carne seca, not ground beef), one of each. With extra sauce and rice only -- no salad or beans. The last time I was there everything about the order was absolutely perfect. All three enchiladas were large, copiously stuffed, and had a *lot* of sauce on them. The sauce was a little spicy, but not too spicy, and was equaled in memory only by that at La Rancherita. Instead of the usual melted orange cheese on top, there was a light sprinkling of white cheese called, I believe, queso fresco. The rice was perfect and, this time, very hot. Was the meal as good as that at the Rancherita 15 years ago? Hard to compare, but I think so. The room itself is quite attractive, with good lighting in some parts (I like to take a book with me), and the service was excellent -- friendly and attentive. I began with a 5-1 gin martini that was mixed perfectly, and then had a large appetizer of "egg-battered" calamari. They were perfectly cooked, brown, crispy, and tasty, and served with a large bowl of pink dipping sauce. With the calamari and the meal I had two glasses of a white wine that was reasonably priced and very adequate. They now have a fairly extensive wine list of both glasses and bottles. For once I had dessert -- the torta de leche with *five* creams, not the usual three. It was light, very tasty, and delicious, a soft cake with whipped cream on it. This was a very large meal and I was reasonable about it: I ate half of everything and then took three boxes home with me. I had the calamari and the cake for lunch a couple of days ago and am looking forward to the rest of the rice and enchiladas for dinner tonight. Trust me: if you like enchiladas as much as I do, then you ought to give this place a try. I also have a vegetarian friend who loves enchiladas but who only orders those stuffed with cheese. She has recently despaired of the orange American cheese that is used in most Tucson restaurants and has vowed never to order enchiladas again unless queso fresco is used. I talked to the friendly waiter about this, and he assured me that at both lunch and dinner the kitchen would make queso fresco enchiladas to order.... read more

Reservations were made for 4. The restaurant was not able to seat us for 20 minutes. The Maitre de told us that sometimes when they were busy, that they did not honor the reservations) We placed our orders and waited an hour before we questioned our waiter. There was no definitive answer. After an hour and 20 minutes our food arrived. Mine was cold and I sent it back.. When it arrived warmed over I found the fajitas I ordered to be very very bland and not at all appealing. In addition the portion was very small. I do not feel the food provided me decent value. read more

Wonderful neighborhood spot with excellent food and amazing service. They will never disappoint. Take-out was great throughout the quarantine and we cannot wait to come back in to our favorite Mexican restaurant. Definitely a great spot in the Foothills! read more

El Cisne always exceeds expectations. As a Southern Arizona native they ya e perfected the birria and carne seca. If Sebastian is working, just tell him you want his Original Margarita and it will make you frown at every one you have thereafter. Don't miss the chance to dine here! read more

I should have reviewed this place a lot earlier! It really is a charming little Mexican restaurant that manages authenticity and appealing to the American palate very well. All of the employees are very friendly and they tend to have a lot of drink specials available. My favorite food here is definitely the tacos. In fact, I think they make some of the best tacos in Tucson. The shells are perfectly fried and the toppings contain just the right amount of everything, regardless of what variety you desire (I've tried them all). I've tried the enchiladas and tamales as well, and they are pretty standard fare. But the tacos are the real treat here. They have no problem doing prompt take-out and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. Sometimes you will even find live music playing if you come on the right evening. I am concerned, however, that I rarely see this restaurant full. Most of the patrons seem to be individuals reading books or doing paperwork (much like myself). I hope this restaurant can sustain itself because it really is a lovely addition to the Catalina Foothills restaurant scene and I'd hate to see it go. Try the tacos! You won't be sorry. read more

Do not go eat at El Cisne. They didn't deliver our entrees for 50 minutes (waiter took twenty minutes to take our order on top of it). I asked to speak to a manager. I let her know what happened and she proceeded to put her hands in my face. Terrible service and management. Spend your money elsewhere read more