One of those times I nearly missed out on a great place due to some misleading reviews. Sure, it's not dirt cheap but it's quality. A touch larger than a hole-in-the-wall, La Mestiza was cozy and welcoming. The menu is succinct, and it's a sign they actually focus on what's on it. If you want a long, inauthentic menu, there's a Taco Bell not too far away. The more options on the menu = the less quality there generally is. Not every cook is the master of every single dish. Decent selection of Mexican beers, and tequila for a smaller shop. Their house margarita was quite good and cheap. Good michelada as well, and a heads-up to anyone who only has seen them con Clamato, theirs is just the classic spiced/lime beer cocktail. The complimentary chips were freshly made and came with two salsas (not pico de gallo if, again, that's what you expect). Top notch enchiladas verdes, and perfect refrieds (order as a side). The sopa azteca was also tremendous. So with each meal, each drink, I was waiting for the reasons why this place is hovering above 3 stars, and I couldn't find anything. Is it more expensive than Los Gemelos? Certainly. Is it worth its price when factoring the quality and freshness? Definitely. I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to having a a Yelp 4 star review threshold generally guide my dining decisions. Having said that, I'm really glad I ignored that for once. Anyone staying at the Radisson (or in the neighborhood) looking for good Mexican food, this place is definitely worth a visit. read more

Great guacamole & enchilada con mole! Surprisingly delicious given the strip mall location. My food was served promptly. read more

La Mestiza - Enchilada con mole - Mexican Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Disappointed. Ordered the shrimp entree did not come with refried pinto beans as described until I asked. The shrimp were tiny little salad shrimp chopped up into tiny pieces inside three enchiladas. Hardly any inside the enchiladas and if it wasn't for the sauce would have virtually no flavor. Overpriced for what Little shrimp there was. Very limited menu. read more

Authentic Mexican! Love it! Margarita was great and the food was tasty and authentic. Will return. read more

La Mestiza - Most authentic Mexican food in Madison! - Mexican Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

First and foremost, I spent many years growing up in "the hood" near Chicago. I had more access to Mexican food than any other cuisine. My high school was 90% Hispanic. This means one thing...I know Mexican food not like a white girl should. Anyhow, arrived here on a Saturday afternoon with five people in our group. The food is pricy for what you get. I thought with paying the prices we did, the servings would be much more heaping. They were a disappointment. I'm sorry but $9 for a ONE stuffed pepper and some rice is no bueno. If you want larger servings, order off the regular menu and pay $14 a plate. No thanks! I had a michalada. It was too spicy, overkill on the amount of hot. Customers normally spice their own. The chicken floutas were mediocre at best. This place has nice, contemporary art and their plates are fancy. The food is not that fabulous to warrant the prices. I'll pay good money for good food. But big money for mediocre food on fancy plates is lame. I would rather go to a taqueria that can bang out authentic Mexican food for half the price. read more

The food at LaMestiza was simply DELICIOUS. The chips and salsa were GREAT just to start. The appetizers are big enough to be an entree. The menu is unique and my dish, the chicken enchiladas mole verdes with pumpkins seeds was delicious. The Trey leches cake was exquisite! Don't be fooled by the exterior. It is in a small strip mall but when you walk in there are booths and a lovely quiet ambiance. The service was excellent. Our waiter was helpful and friendly! He knew the menu well. I highly recommend La Mestiza! read more

La Mestiza is a great alternative to the chain Mexican restaurants. It's very casual and comfortable, and the employees are friendly; the restaurant and bathrooms are clean. You can sit wherever you'd like--stay away from the front door if you can because it gets drafty in the winter. The food is authentic, with the best Mexican rice I've had in the area. Free chips and two different kinds of salsa are served right away, and they're very tasty. Entrees are a bit pricey, but probably have a good quantity--I've always gotten the quesadilla appetizer to eat, and it comes with rice and beans and is very filling as a light dinner. For the amount of food, the appetizer is quite cheap, and there are several other inexpensive but appealing appetizers I haven't yet tried. The reason I'm not giving it five stars is because both times I've been there, they didn't have any tamales (which are on the menu), and one of the times they were out of jamaica (a Mexican drink made from hibiscus flower). Other than that, it's a great place and I'm sure I'll return many times! read more

I really liked the food but don't expect to see a burrito or chimichanga on the menu. It was also a little pricier than I'm used to for mexican but I still enjoyed it. read more

Absolutely terrible service. We sat down and waited 20 minutes while 3 people sat and chatted each other up, didn't even take our order in that time. For the first time in my entire life I actually got up and left before being served. Worst wait staff ever. Prices are high, and selection is terrible on their menu. Avoid!!!! read more

I love this restaurant. I would come here more if the prices were a bit lower or their portions grew a bit. There are a lot of other Mexican restaurants that offer more for less. Granted I love their food at la Mestiza and have been here a lot. I still recommend this place for the "fancy" night out. read more

I'm not sure I see the appeal of La Mestiza. I've been twice now, once with a group of friends and once with my girlfriend, and both times I left with a lot to be desired. The atmosphere is agreeable, with a small selection of tables/booths and a quiet social feel. If there's any plusses that would be the biggest one. Most Mexican restaurants that I've been to in my life have been either noisy, basic, or non-traditional, and La Mestiza definitely gets points for having it's own style. As you walk in, they have the entrance blocked off by stage-like curtains, and the overall dining area is peaceful. One of the first things you'll encounter after sitting down is their lovely chips and salsas, which are delicious as others mentioned. There's something sweet in taste about the chips, and the green salsa is probably the only of it's kind that I've ever enjoyed. Now that the good part's out of the way, let me tell you why I'm giving La Mestiza only 3 stars. First, they are extremely overpriced. The drinks and appetizers are reasonable, but almost every meal is $12-18, and for Mexican food that's just too much. If it were something I was impressed with, I'd be a little more generous in this area, but for food that came off as incredibly bland, this price is not something I can settle with. I've tried their first chicken dish on the menu (can't remember the name), the tamales, and their enchiladas. All of these selections had a very basic description, but once they were served you found yourself with a meal that was chock full of ingredients and smothered in unfamiliar sauces. My first Chicken dish had a handful of things I'd rather not eat, and so I had to basically take a few bites and then resort back to the free chips. The other two entrees were just bland, with a giant dumping of brown mole sauce and white unknown sauce slathered over all of it. I ended up cleaning my plate for both of those, but that just left me uncomfortably full and not satisified because there wasn't anything tasty about them. Taste buds are different for everyone though, and seeing all the positive reviews here makes me think that maybe others just hit something that suit them. That said, I tried 3 dishes and they don't have a ton to begin with, so I'm still skeptical. There's also no hot sauce or flavor sauce of any kind, something that is a MUST for me at a Mexican restaurant. Service was questionable. At first, it seems very personal, as there are few people in the restaurant and the waitresses come off as polite and prompt. But the politeness seems fake; both my girlfriend and I were like "what the hell is her deal?" almost the entire time, both times. Both waitresses read the options and specials off in a really robotic manner, and while they showed all the usual signs of courtesy, there was just something a bit off. I don't know how to explain it, and we certainly were in good moods both times so it wasn't something that we carried over from a previous activity. It might have something to do with the patrons. The typical customer seems to be either older middle-aged white westside parents with a dose of snooty, or business women out for a work lunch. I guess if I was serving that type of clientel all day, I'd be putting on a front as well. Then again, maybe we just hit a string of bad luck. So in the end I can't recommend La Mestiza. While there is truly a drought of good Mexican in Madison, this place just doesn't have enough shine to fill the gap. If you want good Mexican, drive to Milwaukee and go to the soutside. You'll get your money's worth, you'll be full, and you'll have a big smile on your face. And for pete sakes, at least put some Cholula on the table. read more

So good! We started with the guacamole which was so flavorful and awesome. I had the lamb shoulder which was one of the best Mexican dishes I have ever had. The lamb was so tender and melted in your mouth. The sauces, including the house hot sauce, were so rich and wonderful. My husband had the carne asada which was perfectly cooked and amazing. The waitstaff was attentive, had great recommendations and was always available for what we needed (and this guy was brand new!). I will be back!! read more

Combo plate was amazing. Service was great. Margaritas are top notch. Love the cozy atmosphere.

In the upper midwest, when soemone says "mexican food" the immediate thought is usually of some varaitey of tex-mex, or god help us something vaguely resembling outsized taco bell entrees. And that stuff has its place - it's great comfort food and who can't say they've had a post-bar-time craving for a big plate of unnaturally orange nachos? This is not one of those places. Mexican food is diverse and varied, and La Mestiza chooses to focus on the home-style foods of Oaxaca. While they have a selection of tacos, tortas, and tamales, they also feature a lot of slow-cooked braised meats, and really that's where the action is. Stewed lamb, slow-cooked pork, carnitas, in sauces of pasilla chiles or a dark mole poblano - this is the real deal. They even do a respectable ceviche, something one usually doesn't expect to find in a strip mall. Unfortunately the rice and beans as a ubiquitous side dish are pedestrian. I've had worse, but I've also had better. The opening salvo of fresh tortilla chips with salsas is quite nice. It's something every mexican restaurant does, but the chips here are usually hot and just slightly greasy from their recent frying, and the salsas are different from the tomato-and-cilantro affairs that grace most tables. A somewhat hot, smoky, slightly bitter red chile sauce on one side, and a soft, vegetal green sauce on the other. You can order guacamole, but it's best to skip it - it's nothing particularly memorable and, while traditional, lacks much flavor beyond avocado. They're licensed to sell drinks, and make a mean margarita. They are, on the face of it, more expensive than your standard taqueria or tex-mex establishment, although it's slightly deceptive. Portions are large for dinner, and lunch hours are graced with very reasonably-priced lunch specials that are generally slightly smaller versions of their flagship dishes. read more

Over the past few years I have been to La Mestiza three or four times. In the past I thought the food was decent and the service was good (I would have given in 3 or maybe even 4 stars on previous visits), and I liked that it was locally owned/operated and seemed to be trying for authenticity. However, on my last visit things seemed to have really gone downhill. At my last visit to La Mestiza, my companion and I experienced cold tasteless food that was probably among the worst Mexican food we've had anywhere. The dining room was also freezing and we had to wear our coats inside. Besides the food, the worst part was the horrible service from our waiter who forgot our orders, never checked back, never refilled drinks, took ages to bring the bill, etc. And then to top off a bad experience, we found out that the waiter will steal from you! I almost hate to recount this, because as I indicated, I did have decent experiences with La Mestiza during previous visits. A few days after our visit, I noticed that the bill appearing on my charge card was for a different amount than I had authorized. I phoned and eventually got the manager, who said he would check into it. He discovered that on my credit card slip the waiter had crossed out my tip and wrote in a bigger tip, apparently thinking that I would not notice!!! The manager refunded me the extra few dollars and was nice about it. While he didn't come out and say it, my impression was that this was not the first time this had occurred. I will give him credit that he took care of the refund promptly and did apologize. However, staff stealing from customers is unacceptable! I really hope that this experience was not the norm, as I know many people like this place, just as I used to. I just hope they all pay cash or check their credit card charges after. read more

Its hard to find authentic mexican food in madison when everyone tells you Laredos is the place to go. La Mestiza fills that void. Vibrant flavors and great selection make up a vast array of authentic mexican dishes at La Mestiza. My favorite things on the menu are the Cochinta Pibil and the Chile Rellenos. The Nopales (grilled cactus) are to die for as well as a side. Overall i can't say i've ever had anything bad here but i usually stick to the waiters decision. read more

We've dined at La mestiza numerous times and it just seems to get better! We don't live close, about an hour and a half away but whenever we are in the area we make a point to stop to enjoy a meal there, as we did today. Today's great meal was carnitas, the lunch special. Delicious fresh corn tortillas, refried beans, REALLY good guacamole and rice all included. What a tasty treat in a sufficient amount for supper for only $7.95! In addition, I agree with the others: some of the best chips in the entire southeast Wisconsin area and outstanding salsa. Our server Jose was outstanding and very attentive. We enjoyed his service very much. Our only disappointment was that they were all out of tres leches cake. Next time, hopefully! read more

This is not a fancy restaurant. The food is fantastic. The guacamole is outstanding. The carnitas on Saturdays are worth returning for week after week. It's usually a good idea to listen to the server's advice on the specials. This isn't tex mex it's authentic and delicious. read more

Best Mexican food in Madison I'm pretty sure. I love it. Homemade tortilla chips. Wonderful pork, wonderful tacos. I've been there twice and I'll go again soon. read more

This is our favorite Mexican place in Madison. The food is very thoughtfully creative. They also have a great happy hour with Margaritas, Sangria and tacos. Would highly recommend it! read more

Friday night and the little place is full but not uncomfortable; nice atmosphere. Sorta wish they didn't have so many takeout patrons making their way through to the back of the restaurant and back out. Lots of very friendly but not overbearing waitstaff. I had a steak special and it was incredibly tasty with very well-balanced flavors that were novel to me--and I grew up in California with lots of Mexican food. Apparently these recipes harken back to different regions. One reviewer complained that there are no burritos on the menu but that's like complaining an American restaurant doesn't serve hot dogs. Pretty presentation but I wish they did a better job trimming because I ended up with 3 inedible fat/gristle blobs which were definitely not pretty. Excellent chips and I enjoyed both sauces, although so little was provided I ended up combining them to get it deep enough to dip chips. Very satisfying meal. So impressed at the new flavors that I ordered the plantains con cajeta: wow. read more

La Mestiza - Mexican Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I wanted to love this place! I have been looking for a good Mexican restaurant and everyone has been suggesting La Mestiza. It's a little pricey for Mexican food so we made a point to go for Happy Hour and we were told it would be well worth it either way. We were greeted by a nice young lady named Silvia (it said on the receipt) who promptly filled our water glasses. We asked what the Happy Hour specials were and she said, "Oh gosh (long thoughtful pause), I don't even know...it's been so long since anyone has asked." At first, I interpreted it as "hey D-Bag, you're at a gourmet restaurant and the price shouldn't matter." I gave her the benefit of the doubt. We ordered a margarita and a can of Tecate (which are $4 and $2.50 during H.H. since Silvia isn't going to know). She came back to the table and I thought she was going to ask salt or no salt but she forgot the order in the 30 seconds she was away; she never asked about salt but I didn't care. Side note: the Yelp check in offer is for a $7.95 lunch special but the specials range from $5.99 - $7.99 so don't even bother checking in. I thought the margarita was fantastic. No fake green color or sweet and sour mix - 5 stars for a house margarita. The chips were also fantastic, light and crispy, and came with a mild green and "hot" red salsa. Both had good flavor but there was barely enough in the dishes to scoop onto the chip and neither had much heat. I noticed on the menu that a 2nd basket of chips was $1 and each additional salsa was $0.50 which Silvia was pushing heavily. I commented on the lack of heat and she asked me if I wanted to try one of their hotter salsas. I happily agreed. I got the happy hour taco trio of Al Pastor which were top notch! I also really like the new hot salsa. Silvia also forgot this order and had to check back again. In the meantime, a guy came in and ordered a margarita. He asked several questions that he didn't like the answers to or Silvia didn't know the answers to. He tried the margarita and informed the waitress that he didn't like it and wanted to go. She brought him the check and he refused to pay for it. From what I could gather, Silvia was saying that he drank some of it so he had to pay. She wouldn't take it off the bill and at one point I heard someone say that they would call the police if he didn't pay for it. A manager came out and eventually took it off the bill but only after a few more minutes of arguing. Finally, I got my check and I was charged $1.59 for "trying" the hot salsa even though the menu states that salsa refills are $0.50. To summarize, the drinks were really good. The food was great. The service was totally spaced out at best. But, overall I felt like they were trying to nickel and dime people. Charging for chips and salsa, bogus Yelp check in offers, overcharging for salsa refills and shaking the guy down for a margarita he didn't care for. If they made a few tweaks to their service and pricing, this could easily be a 5 star place. read more

Greeted quickly and with a smile. Service was friendly prompt and done in a timely manner. House margarita and dinner was delicious!

Best Mexican I've ever had - really. Try the Borrego en Chile Pasilla (lamb in a heavy pungent sauce with a kick) or the Cochinita Pibil (pork marinated in citrus with pickled onions - complex and layered).the rice and beans don't overwhelm the entrees. Atmosphere is typical Mexican colors of red and orange, but the original artwork sets it apart. I'll be here again within a week. read more

La Mestiza has a very strong grasp on the Fry-o-lator arts. Here is a shot of the -half- basket of fresh and hot tortilla chips they set down in front of you before ordering. You will have a devil of a hard time finding better tortilla chips in all of Madison. These are amazingly crispy, warm, flaky and just bursting with flavor. This -half- basket of chips are worthy of a visit to La Mestiza all by themselves! Why they only brought us a -half- basket, I will never know. For whatever reason they come with a total of 3 tablespoons of two different salsas (that's not much). A rather flavorless Tomatillo salsa and an absolutely fabulous smoked chili salsa which I really needed about 10x more of, which easily would have still fit into the tiny salsa bowl it was provided in. The tiny amount of salsa in each bowl was so little it made dipping chips into it almost a moot point. We got some Flautas de Pollo, or Chicken Flutes. It's pulled chicken which has been rolled in a corn tortilla and fried. Simply dressed in sour cream and a green salsa. The very simplicity of this dish is what makes it great.... plus fried! yum! All over a tasty appetizer more about the chicken later. I got the chicken enchilada's with mole sauce. This mole was an absolutely delight, A great mole sauce is not easy to make. It's a balancing act often using dozens of ingredients from pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, plantains, to chocolate, cinnamon, garlic, onions, always with a host of peppers to form the backbone of the sauce. It's a little sweet, a little spicy, and chock full of a complex but balanced flavor. This one was excellent. Easily the finest in Madison. We also ordered the Chicken Enchilada's with Mole Verde. This was a very different sauce then the first mole, full of pumpkin seeds and fresh herbs. It was much more fresh and vital then the other mole, and not as rich. Absolutely tasty and well worth the visit. Both of the enchilada's were tasty and the sauces were filled with incredible flavors. However the chicken inside of them was rather bland and flavorless with the texture of chemically tenderized meat. As a blank canvas for the sauces it does well, but I can't help but think that La Mestiza is missing out on a fabulous dish by using it this way. The half measures for the chips and Salsa's at the beginning of the meal could have just been an oversight, but it doesn't give the most welcoming vibe to this, stuffed into a strip mall, restaurant with entree's in the $12-$15 range. The food is well worth the price, but the atmosphere leans towards the cheaper end. All over a delicious meal and well worth a stop. Check out all my reviews at theglobeonmyplate.blogspot.com read more

Great food..love their mole sauce and hot sauce served with tortilla chips. Tried their tacos, which are decent..I've had better ones ..Tres leches cake is out of the world. Overall good experience, will definitely recommend read more

Absolutely amazing food. Crap service. Normally I can overlook sub par service, especially if the food is worth it. This is an exception for me. Actually walked out before our drinks even arrived (first for me!) Server was beyond rude and even my kids said it seemed like our existence in the restaurant was a real problem for him. read more

Love the housemate chips and salsa. This may be my favorite restaurant in Madison. Their food is cheap and authentic. I take all my out-of-town friends here and haven't met a person who didn't enjoy their food. read more

Discovered this place awhile back when family was staying at the hotel down the road and we wanted somewhere within walking distance. Thank goodness we did a Yelp search, otherwise we never would have seen it! It's small and in a random strip mall...but don't judge a book by its cover. The decor is very neat and the food is incredible! The chips are always warm and delicious, and La Mestiza has some really unique entree options when compared to Mexican places I am used to. However, the organization of the menu is a little confusing, and the service is hit or miss. Easy things to overlook-- I would definitely recommend La Mestiza! read more

What? A hole in the wall Mexican spot in the middle of a strip mall next to a competitive board game shop? Yes and thank you. I think you can really judge a mexican spot by the quality of their chips, and this place nails it. Chicken tacos are amazing as well. Reasonably priced, and pretty much impossible to beat in terms of Mexican dining in Madison. Loses one star for ambiance, which sort of feels like a Mexican themed diner. read more

My favorite place for Mexican food in Madison. Tamales are great!!!!

Closest to Los Angeles Mexican I have found in the Mid-West, Madison. Before the discovery of this gem, the closest I found was Taqueria Guadalajara on Park street. The Trio de Tacos are my constant go-to's. It's exactly what it's called- a trio of tacos, (pastor)pork, chicken and carne asada steak tacos. The pork taco is my fave. The flavors are exactly the taste of home- no cheese or extra stuff in it. Just good meat and cilantro and onions. Meat is cooked right, sauces are flavorful and authentic. The prices are cheap. The tortilla chips are really authentic and delicious. Service is excellent- everyone's friendly & acommodating. Give it a try and see what your favorite dish is, because other dishes like the enchiladas, quesadillas and mole are all good! read more

Very authentic mole, just enough spice with the sweet. Delicious guacamole. Hand squeezed margaritas. Vegetarian refried beans. Not a taqueria. We'll be back. read more

First time here and already it's by far much better than some of the other places I've been to here in Madison. Instantly greeted, we sat and were served drinks quickly. The red salsa has a great smoky flavor and kick to it. Ordered the fish tacos and were really impressed! No fried undistinguishable fish here...just flavorfuly steamed fish with fresh toppings. I should mention I moved here from Chicago about 1.5yrs ago and have been sorely disappointed in the Mexican places here, will certainly be back to try the other items on the menu. The other reviews about the service need to relax, the food is good! read more

This place is delicious and the service was great. I had the trio tacos which gives you a variety of meats and flavors.

Wait and kitchen staff were chatting amongst themselves and didn't seem particularly interested in seating us despite the fact that several tables were open. We never received some of the food items we ordered but were still billed for them. Our waitress was no where to be found long after we had completed our meal. Once she did arrive with our checks they were the bills and credit cards of the people a few tables over. On the positive side, the tacos were great. The house margarita was okay but I'd advise against the sangria. It has banana liquor in it which I didn't think worked very well. We came here on recommendations from friends so we will likely return hoping that this was an off night for the restaurant. Hopefully a more pleasant experience in the future. read more

Stopped in for lunch with my coworkers and I am glad we did, it was delicious. The fresh made chips were warm and the salsa was refreshing. I ordered the lunch special which was carnitas. It was absolutely delicious. I can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu. read more

Beware of ordering carry out from here. They over charge you and don't include everything you ordered with the order. While the food that we received was good, it was over priced and not all there. Ordered an appetizer of guacamole - specifically asked if it came with chips - was told yes, it came with chips - no chips were included in the the order. $10 for 3 steak tacos, asked to add cheese, was charged extra for the cheese, received a VERY light sprinkling of finely grated cheese, hardly what I would call worth paying extra for. Order of chicken tostadas $8.50 which consisted of a container with a pile of lettuce, a scoop of chicken and 3 flat (cold) crispy tortillas. That's it! Typically tostadas are refried beans, meat, lettuce, cheese tomato. None of that was included. Charging extra for salsa is really cheap too. I called the restaurant when I got home and the person that answered didn't really care much. I spoke with who I think was the manager and he said the cook was new so that's why there was probably a mix up. Maybe they should check the orders before they go out? All in all, what we received was good, but way overpriced and inaccurate. Not sure I recommend this place. read more

The food was great, the service was a little lacking. We had the "special" which was a carnitas make your own taco special. The taste was great. The chips were tasty. The guacamole was good. The biggest complaint was the service - maybe just an off day. read more

Great food, great service, more authentic than most in town, kid friendly.