My favorite place to eat whenever I am in Tucson (either here or the original Poca Cosa). LOVE LOVE LOVE, it ALWAYS make me happy! This place never disappoints. The chef's special is ALWAYS a delight. The server was a doll, and even the owner came out to say hello. We got one chef's special to go for my hubby who had to WFH that day - and he got a tamale in his - which was maybe the best thing of all 3 plates! (the "to-go" containers are LEGIT) The ladies room even has tampons and pads free for the ladies. read more

The Little One - Chefs special - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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It's been a while since I've been here. Normally I'm not downtown during the week. In the new plague environment, they have made lots of change. I got the beef chili verde. It was individually packaged and I seat outside. It is still very small. Looks like they are doing lots of takeout. The food was amazing and the staff is very helpful and friendly. Will definitely be back when I can get downtown during the week read more

The Little One - Carne en Chile Verde, yum - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

My aunt is new to town so I wanted to show her one of my Mexican food faves! Sadly, things have changed at the Little One. I always loved the laid back, loud, fast pace feel of the Little One. The layout has changed.. it is very rushed counter service with minimal seating.. since the menu changed ordering took longer than usual but I felt rushed. I didn't understand what a cajita was so I asked and the response sounded like a bowl (Chipotle style) which sounded good, and i felt like i was holding up the cashier from something else, i quickly ordered it. When I received my "small box" it was a bowl of soup. I still ate it even though it wasn't what I thought I had ordered. Overall the portions were small, limited seating and the fun excited feel I used to get wasn't there. read more

Outstanding I was told about this restaurant months ago, and finally had the chance to have brunch here. Outside seating Street Metered Parking 1 Gender Neutral Restroom Super fast service Delicious food Incredible flavors and nice portions. We enjoyed: Tamales (try both!) Chicken soup Chips and both salsas Mango strawberry lemonade Horchata Rice, beans, salad, and fruit. We loved sitting at the community table. It was the perfect amount of joyous noise from the kitchen and music playing, and great people watching. read more

Confession: I judge Mexican restaurants on the quality of their chile Relleno - it must be prepared fresh, the sauce is critical as is the quality of the chile. The Relleno I had today at the Little One was perfection. The egg batter was delicate, the chile flavorful, and the sauce delicious. I liked the side of fresh greens, and ate them on the nice little tortillas with a dollop of the beans atop. The only thing I question was the beans were quite salty. I ate every last spec, but I'll be drinking water all afternoon. The price of this great lunch was reasonable, the portions just right. I will be working downtown for several months, and this place is so convenient and wonderful I look forward to becoming a "regular" read more

The Little One - Chile Relleno - wonderful! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Amazing service amazing salsa, everything we tried was amazing! Highly recommend the chai horchata! This place is great highly recommend read more

The Little One - a table full of mexican food - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Oh my gooooodness, so good! ESP GREAT little spot for an intimate "post ultrasound at 20weeks pregnant but it's also my birthday" brunch. I had the vegan meal of the day & the "oh my goodness that tastes like an eegee" strawberry juice. While baby daddy tried the sampler surprise, both were amazing, and super filling! I didn't snap a photo of our food, but I did snap a photo of the cute little Togo containers we (I) took leftovers home in, along with the ADORABLE surprise birthday present from the gift shop inside. Seriously, 10/10 for lunch & 10/10 for holiday/birthday gift shoppping! read more

The Little One - Gift shop & Togo boxes - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food was fabulous! Chile verde, eggs and the best flour tortillas. The employees were friendly and engaging. Definitely recommend this quaint little place. read more

Well, I haven't tried this place for a while and it was ok. The salsa tasted a little funky, maybe old or like it had been in a plastic container. The lunch chefs surprise was pretty basic and nothing unique. As a sister restaurant of the now closed Cafe Poca Cosa I was expecting a bunch of flavor, but it just wasn't there. I was pretty bummed. Might try a different dish at some point. read more

It was really good I was brought here for intercession and we got free food the waitress were nice and overall the food was really good I loved the burritos chips and salsa read more

The Little One - Burrito so good potato and egg with cheese - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Another amazing experience. The chicken mole was recommended by a friend and was incredible. They also have dairy-free horchata which was excellent! The ambiance is cozy and inviting and the service is fast and friendly. read more

Love The Little One! Sad to hear that its sister restaurant Cafe Poca Cosa is closing, but am so thankful that The Little One is still around, serving delicious, cozy-feeling Mexican lunch (and especially now with COVID, amazing takeout lunch!). The food feels like it is made with love and the staff is so welcoming. Depending on how hungry you are, you can a La Cajita Feliz (1 scoop of entree, rice, chips and salsa, and a drink), a meal (1 entree, beans, rice, tortillas, and chips and salsa), or a plate (a surprise of 3 items). The must try entree for me would be the pollo en mole negro - so flavorful with a hint of spice. The salsa is so refreshing with a good balance of tomatoes and spice. They have a variety of agua frescas to choose from as well which are delicious. Be mindful that is only open on weekdays - definitely recommend this as a great lunch takeout spot! read more

The Little One - Prickly pear lemonade - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

First place my sister and I found on our getaway to Tucson, AZ & cannot say enough positive things about this fantastic establishment! The people helping their customers were absolutely delightful, friendly, happy, enthusiastic, and engaged. The food was amazing and so delicious. Easy to surmise that every meal is made with passion and love. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and I will definitely be making this my first stop if returning to AZ for any reason! read more

A Tucson staple tucked away in a hidden corner of downtown Tucson. Great authentic, homestyle Mexican food. Plus the sweet and friendly staff embodies the kindness of Tucsonians! We stumbled upon this place during lunchtime and we're so glad we did! The venue is small but nicely decorated. They had lots of local, homemade goods for sale. There's also a cooler that showcases the drinks they had available and a walk-counter to place your orders for food! Their menu is inside but smaller, to-go paper menus are available. The ladies working the counter were very sweet and welcoming; greeted us as if we were regulars! We decided on getting two Plato Surprise Plates so that my fiancé and I will get SIX different items to share. We ended up with Chile Relleno, Green Corn Tamale, Chicken Mole, Carne Chili Verde, and others. They came with tortillas, black beans, chips, and salsa! For drinks, we got the Vegan Horchata (!!!!!) and lemonade. It came to be a bit pricey but everything is surely cooked in-house = worth it. And surely enough, everything tasted amazing! You can taste the quality and care put into each dish. Authentic home-cooked meals available in downtown Tucson. I can imagine this is a popular lunch spot among those who work downtown... I would be here 24/7 if I did! So glad they are here and currently serving the Tucson community despite the ongoing pandemic. Grateful for this place! read more

The Little One - Two Plato Surprise Plates! We ended up getting SIX different items to share!! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The carne chili verde is fantastic here. Flavorful and comes with rice and fruit as sides. The Little One has limited seating so if you're coming for lunch, be sure to come early or really late. The complimentary salsa and chips are generic. I love the decoration of the place-there's wall art and articles about The Little One and its sister restaurant, Cafe Poca Cosa. read more

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Good service. great chips and salsa. food was priced well and very filling. This place is truly a Tucson gem. Nice ambiance as well. Will be returning after I go to the library read more

The ambience is loud and fun, the service is super friendly and they really know how to make you feel welcome! The food is delicious, creative and colorful. You won't regret EVER eating here! read more

Holy Mole! Some very tasty food. Awesome waitress who knew our needs on our food tasting tour. The Surprise sampler plates were the way to go to try out a lot from their menu. The mole sauce was quite delicious. read more

The Little One - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

My friend sent me The Little One's menu after she found out it would now be open on Saturday's. We both thought it looked amazing and knew we'd have to try it. Today we were planning on going to another restaurant in the area for lunch, but the wait was long, and we decided to try another place. While finding parking for our second restaurant option, we saw The Little One on the corner. It was as if we were meant to eat there today. There was limited seating, but there were plenty of tables available when we walked in. We sat in the outdoor part and it felt very cozy, like we were sitting in someone's garden. We were greeted with chips and salsa, which was great. I ordered a hot tea, and was given hot water with a variety of tea bags to choose from. My friend got the chata-chino (a mix of horchata and coffee), which she liked a lot. I ordered the avocado toast and she got the pollo ranchero. All the plates come with rice, beans, and a mix of fruits and vegetables that they have on hand. Everything looked and tasted so fresh! The avocado toast was not just any avocado toast. The avocado reminded me of guacamole without having such a strong guacamole flavor, in a good way. It had onion and cilantro mixed into it, but also was topped with tomato, micro greens, and balsamic. Looking at the other pictures on Yelp, I can see that the fruits and vegetables are always changing, which I love, because it shows that they truly just choose whatever produce is the best at that time. The rice was also fantastic! It was seasoned perfectly and super fluffy! My friend also enjoyed her meal as well. As we were eating, one of the workers came to our table and said they accidentally made another chata-chino and offered it to us. We took it of course, and were able to take it home in a to-go cup. Inside the restaurant there is a refrigerator full of drinks and food, baked goods, clothes, and jewelry, mugs, and other goods available for purchase. Everything looked so cute! The service was also great, and everyone was super friendly. You can tell every worker loves what they do! The Little One definitely deserves more attention, as their food is incredible! I highly recommend that anyone comes to try The Little One, in the area or not, it's worth it! I will definitely be back time and time again! read more

The Little One - Avocado Toast, Pollo Ranchero, Chata-chino, Hot Tea, Chips & Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Their jamaica and lemonade were delicious!! Their beans tasted authentic; like the beans I'd come home to from them being in the oya. Their rice was fine. Their chips and salsa: delicious. Their salad that comes with their dishes felt like it didn't belong. I had their mole and in my opinion it was too sweet and tasted very nutty; one dimensional. The chicken of the mole was cooked very nicely though. Food came pretty quick Service was so friendly and I love how their outside seating was dog friendly. It was a cute place definitely a place to check out at least once. read more

Lovely people who go out of their way to make customers feel at home. Pleasant ambiance, especially the patio. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the hype we had heard, especially the mole, which tasted watery. The chips were good and the salsa acceptable. The chili releno was served in what could best be called tomato sauce from a jar. We are not likely to return, but these nice folks deserve to do well. read more

The Little One - The place is kept clean. - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Always so good. Just thought that I'd reiterate that! Comes with a free hug! Good food from the heart. read more

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Very much enjoyed our visit to The Little One! Parking: A bit more difficult to find parking with this being located in downtown Tucson. Managed to locate something pretty quickly! Facility: Great little restaurant that is very well kept. Not a ton of seating but we were fortunate to land an open table upon arriving. Service: Everyone was super nice and the food delivery was quick! Food: Delicious! Failed to take pictures but enjoyed everything. My wife and I enjoyed burritos (chicken and Barbacoa) while my in-laws had some quesadillas and tamales. Price: Very reasonable pricing for four people to eat. Total with tip was just shy of $60. read more

The food, the vibe, the people, the juices, the energy, everything. Have been countless times and every time it is an 11/10. Have seen people come in curiously and decide to go somewhere else before sitting, biggest mistake ever! It's a Tucson gem, makes you feel at home! My recommendations: for sure get a juice ANY juice is delicious and my favorite plate is the chipotle pork + a green corn tamal. Don't forget your cash! Bring in your own Tupperware if you think you'll have leftovers! And stay off your phone! Unless you want Sandra to tell you off for not enjoying the moment while you're just trying to post a picture of your meal online lol read more

The Little One - Cochinito en Crema de Chipotle and Beet Mandarin Juice - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I can't say enough nice things about this place. The food, the people, everything is the best! We had the privilege of spending 6 months in Tucson during C19 winter 2020 and ate their food, either on the patio or as take out, at least twice per week. We even took back 3 dozen of their tamales in an ice packed cooler! Do yourself a favor and eat lunch here. Only lunches offered. No dinners. Enjoy! read more

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This place is pure joy from the food to the atmosphere and service! We ordered two plato dishes (no two are the same!) and shared what the chef sent us. What flavors! The dishes are beautiful and just as good as any fine dining in the city. Be sure to order one of the fresh juices for the full experience. We got mango peach - fantastic! This is a simple place- great food, amazing drinks, and CASH ONLY. If you or your companion is looking for chicken salad and a Coca-Cola, look up the street at Ike's. If you want a great meal with a hug to go then you're in the right place :) read more

What nice sweet people! Food was excellent. Exceptional. Had the pollo mole and she gave me a sample of the chipotle pork. So so good. Thanks! read more

The Little One - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

'Visiting Tucson, my daughter took us downtown to her favorite restaurant; The Little One! The food was exquisite; so fresh and beautifully prepared! She recommended I get the surprise plato (chef's choice), and for my wife the owner prepared a chili relleno plate customized to accommodate her allergies to eggs and wheat. My daughter's favorite is pork simmered in a warming chipotle cream sauce. This was by far the best meal these foodies have enjoyed in Tucson! read more

The Little One - Vegetarian Chile Relleno (prepared to accommodate allergies/without eggs or wheat) - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The place is small, but with giant tasting! Breakfast burritos were really flavor favored. Fast service and great atmosphere with staff that welcome you like you are family. read more

What a great local place for lunch! If you're looking for some good fresh, amazingly seasoned food, served by friendly people and a family-hometown-feel, you should definitely stop by The Little One! It's only open for lunch, so plan accordingly. You'll be welcomed in and bid a "see you again," with a warm, friendly hug! It's a simple place, with street parking, but don't let the look fool you. The food is delicious! Also, don't forget to bring cash! They don't take credit cards, but that shouldn't deter you from checking out this place. The food comes out in a timely fashion, and you get a great helping of your dish with rice, tortillas, and fresh fruit. The carne chili verde is delicious, and I definitely recommend trying it! Don't forget to order something different from the person you're sitting with, so that you can share and taste a variety of the delicious food they serve here. read more

Incredible fresh and delicious food!!! You get a lot of food, so be prepared. I switch between the chile Colorado and the creamy chile Colorado... both amazing. Usually busy at lunch time, but the staff moves fast. read more

The Little One - Chile Colorado! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The service is great! I love the little so much! I recommend the mole or the chilaquiles!

The food here is excellent and the people are very nice. I was so glad they were able to get street tables for outdoor seating. It's a nice way to eat downtown. If you don't know what you want to eat, the people will help you decide and make great recommendations. I eat here whenever I can. They have fast and easy takeout too. read more

The food was amazing!!!! So glad we came!!!! Waitress was kind and respectful, treated and treated us with care!!!!! The environment brought me back to Mexico. Cool decorations, amazing people. We It!!! Definitely come you don't regret it!!! read more

The Little One - Awesome decorations!!!! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Fabulous food. I had huevos rancheros one red one green or Christmas style! My husband had the surprise plate lived the chicken mole and poor persons soup with garlic potatoes cheese chile. Only here for a few weeks but I'll try! read more

The Little One - Huevos rancheros red and green. Delicious and beautiful! - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Don't sleep on this place. It's a tucson staple with every bit of charm, service, and traditional Mexican stewed dishes and fresh fruits and vegetables. Only open for breakfast and lunch, weekdays. read more

Ok. I know this review will be unpopular but I'll start with the positive. The environment and community created by the staff and music is fun and uplifting. They are kind and there's a cute little shopping area. I stopped in because it was highly recommended. Located in downtown, they provide a great outlet for the surrounding offices. The ingredients seemed good quality and fresh. I ordered barbacoa de res (beef and rice with 2 corn tortillas and salad) and everything on the plate was so incredibly bland. The beans while cooked well they lacked flavor. The veggies and grapefruit slice were really fresh though. I never add salt to my food and I did and asked for hot sauce which was watery and not hot. I was also served salsa and chips which was good but there was something of a tomato soup base to it that was different. The price of the plate is $17 not including the tip. Overall, disappointed. I do think this type of restaurant serves is purpose with the surrounding offices and some people prefer a more bland meal. They also have some sweets and fresh juices which is nice. My sample size is just this one dish but it doesn't make me want to go back. In my opinion there's better and cheaper Sonoran food in El Paso. read more

The Little One - Mexican Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Always amazing, and now making it easier to enjoy by accepting credit cards. Thank you!

Fresh and light, not heavy greasy Mexican food. What a find! The best chile relleno I've ever had. We really appreciate the wide selection of vegetarian options here. Staff was friendly. Busy at 1 pm, but the food came out fast. Indoor and outdoor seating and they prefer cash, but do accept credit cards/Apple Pay. Convenient location near the presidio downtown. We'll be back! read more

This place is still going strong and came through the first couple of years of the pandemic better than ever. Its set up differently now but everything still tastes absolutely amazing! Now its a cute little boutique also so you can browse while they are making your delicious food. Really it doesn't matter what you order. Its all excellent with so much flavor. Pork, beef, chicken and vegetarian options. And their drinks are unique and refreshing. read more