Everything at this place is perfect, from the staff to the quality of the food. They have earned a customer for life! Thanks for the hospitality! read more

LOVE this place!! By far the best Mexican food in downtown Tucson. The lunch specials are amazing and under $10, you really can't beat that! They are busy for lunch, but food always comes out hot and faster then expected. Family owned restaurants like this are rare gems and not to be missed. The cheese crisps are to die for, and today for my birthday they gave me a flan and sang! read more

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Boom! Love that this place is right across the street from the gemstone show. Great food, very fast service and just a great atmosphere. You need to head over if you get a chance. read more

This was so misleading. I ordered chicken tacos and they gave me floutas and also put shredded Monterrey cheese on my guacamole ?? Very sad everything made me hate life read more

El Minuto Cafe - Chicken Taco :/ - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Everything is always good here - plus the service is superb with the same adult wait staff for years. Although no longer in the printed menu, I always order the juevos rancheros and they kindly serve it up. They also have wonderful chile rellenos and the best cheese crisp in town. They've been here since 1937 and was my college favorite in the 1970s - plus they have their own parking lot! A hidden gem. Highly recommend. read more

Maaaaan. I wanted to like this so bad but right now, I just can't. For someone who's lived in Tucson for their entire life, I really haven't explored all of the city, especially downtown. And this is place should have been one of them. It's in a perfect spot, across the street from the TCC and TPD HQ in case you wanted to get in trouble. Maybe it was just an off day, as it was the Saturday before Christmas, a Roadrunners game and the Tucson Ballet Nutcracker were all going on, so as expected there was quite a wait. We did get drinks and chips and salsa right away after we were seated. I liked that the menu had a good selection, your usual Mexican fare, but I'm pretty sure it was the location, I thought some things were priced right, and others just a little high. It was a chilly day, so I ended up ordering a caldo de queso, and since they wouldn't let me order the kids order of mini chimis, I had to order the full size. When everyone else got their food, the server seemed to forget my soup, and I didn't even get the tortilla or bread that should have came along with it. I had a taste of rice and beans from the order my mom got with her shredded beef tacos, which was super tasty, and I don't like beans, but since rice is one of my fave things to eat, I had no complaint about the rice. It's the red rice. And the beef had such good flavoring, I should have gotten that instead, as I was planning to from the beginning. The red carne con Chile was really good too. My caldo de queso (once I eventually got) turned out to have hit the spot, but would have been better if they used queso fresco instead of the Mexican cheese blend they use to top everything else. I'm willing to give this place another try since I fo believe in second chances, but will get the tacos instead. read more

Went there after a function at the community center and got there early so close to 6 sat down ordered drinks and waitress took our orders. She came back and told us they were out of shredded beef None for tacos enchiladas or chimichangas. Surprising at 6:45 at night on a Thursday. Specially, when there was an ice-skating function at the convention center and people were waiting outside for a table. Ground beef was OK but not what I was wanting. read more

Yummy home-cooked Mexican food. Cute little family-run establishment. Very friendly service. Will be back!

A treasure! Authentic food, ambiance and service. After a long walk on a hot day, we came upon El Minuto like an oasis in a desert. Although we only came for an afternoon snack of drinks, chips & guacamole, the staff was super friendly and the service was exceptional. It was a wonderful experience. read more

Good small local casual Mexican food. Not pricey. Went here for a work celebration. The food was great, esp. good salsa. Very busy, waiter was overwhelmed so the service was slow, but when he saw the need he was quick to address it. I haven't been here for a while, mainly because I forget about it on the back side of the convention center, But it is a landmark in Tucson. There is not email or fax at the restaurant, so we had to go pick up a menu in order to preorder our food. If a menu is not posted I will add one later. read more

The very best Green Chili and Cheese Crisp I have had. I was raised on cheese crisps so I have experience. God was very good and we look forward to returning. Service was also good during lunch rush. Zero complaints read more

El Minuto Cafe - Green Chile cheese crisp. One of the I have ever eaten. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Located right next to the Tucson convention center , the entrance was artfully painted . This Mexican restaurant was a little less than I had expected . I ordered the "el minuto deluxe" which consisted of a chicken tostada , chills relleno (stuffed chile ), beef taco, flat enchillada, and a beef taco. The price online was completely different than the one I was asked to pay. 15 vs 19 The way the food was thrown in the to go boxes left it looked like a disaster when I opened it . Similar to a box of shredded lettuce light cheese and a taco thrown on top. The chile renello was the only thing I would order again. The rest of the food was not as good as I had intended . Definitely to high a price for the quality of food given . Tip: salsa tastes like a a bitter marinara sauce with spice thrown in Would not recommend to a friend!!!!!!! read more

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We came here for dinner before hockey game. Because it's the only restaurant that's next to Tucson Arena. We're disappointed! The foods isn't good and the waiter kept us waiting so long for everything. Not recommended to eat here read more

El Minuto Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Excellent service and good food! Authentic Mexican food! Everything was made fresh to order and looked great! Lots of items I still want to try...so I will definitely be going back! read more

Very bland tacos, meat was not seasoned at all. All the staff seemed bothered by our presence for some reason as paying customers. Don't worry I will never come back. Probably another example of long time family owned place run by people who hate running a restaurant but they can't do anything else. read more

I live in Tucson and have been eating Mexican food in Tucson for 24 years and this is very poor compared to the south Tucson great Mexican restaurants. The food came out barely warm, it was soggy and little taste. The service was very poor and inattentive. My daughter's food was exactly the same as well as my wife. My wife was born and raised in Tucson and is Mexican. After our dinner she said "well we won't be coming here again". El Charro which is one of the very best Mexican restaurants in the United States and the one that invented carne seca, is ONLY 3 blocks away. There is no reason whatsoever to eat here instead of El Charro. Now that a day has passed, my wife, my daughter and myself all had upset stomached and diarrhea. We all had different dishes. We'll never go here again. read more

Hole in the wall kind of place. Service was FAST! Will definitely go back. The salsa has a little kick, house margaritas are yummy and the food is flavorful. I ordered the Minuto cheese crisp and it was huge and delicious. I put some guacamole on mine and highly recommend doing so. My friend got the chicken chimichanga and it was very tasty as well! Ordered some honey sopaipillas and they were pretty good as well. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Honey Sopapillas - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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A friendly greeting, immediate seating, immediate chips and salsa, menus and drink orders taken. Some menu items explained as we avoid garlic, which is hard to do. Orders came out quickly ... and I just had the best cheese crisp with chorizo and freshly cut green chilies I ever had. Plenty of parking in their lot, clean and pleasant dining area, attentive yet not invasive service, good flavorful portion sizes. On our list of places to return to, and it is not a large list :-) read more

If you like typical Mexican made well, this Tucson tradition is a place for you. One thing I appreciated was the lack of cilantro. The service is quick and friendly. The ambiance is family restaurant. We went with friends who took our leftover cheese crisp home; two of us and leftovers. By the way, our friend's chicken was outstanding. Biggest negative, watch out for the potholes in the parking lot. read more

Basic, but very good local Mexican eatery. Nothing fancy, but good Mexican comfort food. Friendly, efficient service. Location is very convenient to the convention center and Doubletree hotel. Good prices. read more

Great authentic Mexican food served by friendly people. Dinner reminded us of our childhood. Gracias!

We had a bunch of recommendations for restaurants from the front desk person at our hotel (has lived here for years). Settled on El Minuto because of her description of the carne seca. The chips and salsa are brought to the table before we can even open up our menus. I chose carne seca tacos, husband chose shredded beef enchiladas. Both came with rice and beans. We thought our choices were delicious. Portions just right but prices on the high side. 2 tacos for $13, 2 enchiladas for $12 seems high. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Carne seca tacos, shredded beef enchiladas, each with beans, rice. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It had been too long, so we went for lunch. As good as I remember. The salsa had a nice kick and it started everything off great! All of the entrees I tried were too notch. Just a great meal. I'm glad we went back! read more

Came here today with my family and we each got a different plate that we were not very pleased with. The price isn't worth what is served. Was hoping this would be a small good local restaurant I can refer my clients to. read more

The food was So good and a lot of leftovers. Just as good as yesterday. The food was fast and friendly. The service was great!

When here last night after the gemshow, good margarita, and the food was very very good. The staff was very friendly. It's very laid back, not formal, but the restaurant has been around for over 80 years (same family) the girl at he counter told me the history of the place, (when I asked about it) very good shredded beef, so much flavor. Do not let looks deceive.... this place truly is a GEM. Will go back forsure. read more

El Minuto Cafe - 2 taco plate, rice and beans. WAS AMAZING! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Warm atmosphere with Excellent versions of your favorite Mexican Dishes This place has the Best service and the BEST food. In a busy Gem Show week we waited only 15 minutes for a table. The Hostess was very friendly and the Waiter was very good and had a personality as big as his smile. My drink was never empty, neither were the chip bowls. We tried the Guacamole and loved the fresh lemon they incorporated into this classic. They easily accommodated my Gluten Free request for corn tortillas in my Chicken Enchiladas and they were delicious.My husband loved his Chimichanga which was topped with fresh shredded lettuce which kept it crispy. Give this place a try, you won't be sorry! read more

I stopped in after the home show since it was close. It's been years since I was here last. It's kind of a mixed bag, and 3 1/2 stars would probably be a better rating. The salsa is pretty weak. Mostly tomato with little seasoning or heat. The chips are clearly out of a bag, not freshly fried tortillas. The upside on the salsa was when we asked for more, they brought a bottle. It's not bad salsa, it just takes a lot of it to get much effect. The meal was much better than expected based on the first impression of the place. The enchilada sauce actually has some chile flavor -- not the gravy that gets passed off at too many places here. The carne seca has pretty good flavor as well. The dish was nicely plated and enjoyable overall. I won't be going out of my way to head down there anytime soon, but if I am in the area and looking for a meal, I'd go back. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Carne Seca Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Meh. The place is a bit dirty. The staff could be a bit more receptive. Overall, the red menudo was excellent but the crispy taco shell used for the carne seca tacos were of public school cafeteria quality: appeared factory made, no real flavor and easily fell apart before even picking up the taco to eat. Not appetizing at all. Everything else seem to be okay, but nothing really stood out - except for the menudo. It was one of the best I've eaten! read more

We stumbled across El Minuto during a downtown event. We were looking for a place to eat and face it, downtown Tucson is not known as a hotbed of great eateries. The few that are downtown are either uber trendy shrines to yuppiness or very expensive. Luckily we happened upon El Minuto off the beaten path near the Convention Center. The decor is homey and quaint - in fact the restaurant looks like a converted adobe house with a couple dining rooms and a nice outdoor patio area draped in greenery. The food was quite good and some of the best we've had in Tucson recently. The portions are generous and the Sopapillas are real sopapillas. For some reason in the past 10 or 15 years most "Mexican" restaurants have been passing off a flour tortilla sprinkled with honey, cinnamon and sugar as a sopapilla. Wrong! They are wonderful deep fried bits of dough that fluff up nicely like little pillows and are brushed with honey, butter, and powdered sugar. El Minuto's are among the best I've ever tasted. The night we were there they also had live authentic music (not the ubiquitous Mariachi band) which was a nice change of pace. Several patrons even danced after their meal. Service was fast, friendly and accurate despite the place being completely full. Since our visit there we have had a friend move into the Barrio Viejo neighborhood and she uses El Minuto quite often and says she has never been disappointed in the food. She recommends any of the salads available for a great lunch! read more

El Minuto Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Been here a couple times, always packed with large parties so I understand if the service is a little slow or food not up to standard. But you'd think something like tortilla soup is hard to screw up. Somehow, they made it look like a crime scene. The server brought out a bowl of soup on a plate and the whole thing obviously exploded in the microwave. Splattered grease stains all over the bowl and plate. The soup was practically inedible. Lukewarm broth, uncooked avocado chunks, soggy tortilla strips, and a glob of sad cheese sunk to the bottom. I understand it's soup and not EVERYTHING is fresh in every restaurant. But to make no effort to clean up the bowl/plate nor simply put it in a new bowl for presentation sake is not okay. Lot of Mexican restaurants in Tucson and was looking forward to some good tortilla soup. Will stick to non-soup items. read more

Looking for lunch and we found a gem. Service with a smile. Burros we're filling and quite tasty. Refried beans and rice oh so nice. Cold beer and spicy salsa. read more

I had never had a green chile cheese crisp so this place was on my list of places to try while we visited Tucson and tried all the foods I can't get at home We liked it. It was light. I was surprised the chopped chiles seemed to be thrown on top after the cheese was melted as they were not very hot. The service is very bland. We probably were here less than 20 minutes We hiked out at Saguaro West National park this morning and this afternoon off to opera at the Tucson Music Hall read more

El Minuto Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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It is absolutely stupid how awesome this food is. I've lived 49 years of life and have never had Mexican food that compares to what was just served to me. The cheese crisp was handmade and the crispiest that literally melted in our mouths. And the Chimichanga was something reserved for the gods.  I don't give out 5 stars often. You will never find better Mexican food. I guarantee you! read more

A solid Mexican food experience while in Tuscon. This place was recommended by locals, and it didn't disappoint. I figured that while I was in downtown tuscon I should partake in a little Mexican. This place is the quintessential small Mexican restaurant. Nothing exceptionally fancy but well laid out, enough room to meet the expectations of the local tuscon crowd. The lunch items were a little limmiting (too bad) but the entire menu was good and fairly priced My brother got a cheese crisp appetizer. . .which was larger than most pizzas. Even my son, a four year old, had no issues with the beef (as part of my dish, a name I can't remember). If you are downtown, and looking for a place to try that serves a decent mexican meal - I don't think you can go wrong here. read more

3.5 stars? Really? I thought this place was worth at least a 4. I went here with some friends who go to the University and was torn between the chorizo and eggs and the chili relleno. Luckily, one of my friends was willing to order one and split the food. The chorizo was pretty good. It went well with their beans and everything else...pretty solid. But, I really loved their chili relleno. It was one of the best I have ever had, hands down. The down side: I didn't like their chips. It reminds me of Chevys...thin and weak. Also, the price is around $10. A bit high...but the chili relleno was worth it. In short: solid food, you probably won't be dissappointed, CHILI RELLENO! I would love to come back and I recommend you stop by too. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Chorizo and eggs - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Very disappointed. I used to eat here a lot. No tamales on menu. Waiter said they had some beef tamales in the back. I ordered them. Terrible sauce congealed on the top and very bitter. The smallest tamales I've ever seen, as well. Chicken enchiladas tasted like they had the same sauce on them. Cannot recommend this restaurant anymore. read more

Recommended to me, and now I recommend to others! The thing to order is their Cheese Crisp - great with the green chilis! The service was good, food is great and a convenient location near the Convention Center. Just along the "Turquoise Trail" (self guided walking tour of downtown Tucson). Stop in!! read more

This place has lost its good flavor . The carne secca chimi was full of big thick chunks of raw onion. The cazuela had only 1/2 a potato and flavorless broth. read more

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El Minuto Cafe is a small restaurant nestled downtown and my experience was average. We had a party of 10 and I was pleasantly surprised that all of our entrees were served less than 10 minutes after we ordered. I was glad everyone's food came out at the same time, too. The portions are good and the lunch specials are cheap (~$8). My shredded beef burro was fine. The staff aren't super welcoming and didn't talk much. I asked for someone to take a group photo by the entrance and they were slow to respond. read more

El Minuto Cafe - Lunch special - burro (shredded beef) with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona