Ideally, I'd like to give Tio's 3 1/2 stars. The food there is good, but it's not fabulous. We were a party of 7, and so we ordered a pitcher of the frozen margarita and the regular margarita, which were very nicely done, I could taste the alcohol, but it wasn't too strong. We all ordered about 3 tacos each, which were just about enough. To be really full, I think we needed to order 4 each. I ordered the Al Pastor, a pork and pineapple taco, which was my favorite. The meat was really flavorful and soft. I also ordered the steak taco, and the Tingas, a chicken taco. Both of them were ok. I would have preferred all the taco's having a little more to them, than just the meat, maybe a little guacamole or cheese or something. They all lacked just a little something in the flavor department. I had a bite of my husband's fish taco, which was also quite nice. Apart from that, the tacos were soft and nice, and the meats were well cooked. While Mexican is not my one of my favorite cuisines, I wouldn't mind Tio's too much, though I would prefer going to something more authentic like Taquiera La Fiesta. read more

Cool place to hang out with the lads, come during happy hour the drinks and food are a lot cheaper. Expect big portions so come hungry. This place is americanized mexican so if you are looking for street taco style stuff look elsewhere. Their spicy salsa is actually spicy read more

Pricey but tasty. Potato puffs had good dipping sauces, mildly spicy. Love the crispy hot from the oil exterior with the creamy interior. Definitely a great addition to a meal. The combo plate was interesting: a forgettable taco,a well shaped empanada with very little filling and then a first rate chile poblano, fresh, stuffed with cheeses and a small container of mild green save on the side. Loss of greens decorating the plate -- fished then off using the ranch doing sauce add a dressing. The small cup of squash Stew was not to my liking, but my spouse enjoyed it.it came with the blue cheese coleslaw; an innovation I like but definitely an acquired taste. The menu is a far cry from the Huron Street days. I prefer that menu. While they've gone upscale, I think a lot of the charm was lost. Where's the good and greasy and cheap and filling mild-mannered Tex Mex of yore. It is missed read more

I had a quesadilla without meat, which cost $ 12, which is too expensive for the mediocre quality. My son had Nachos 14,50, also very mediocre for the price and my husband had a Taco salad which was the only dish which was okay for the price of $13.50. It is not beneficial to charge so much and don't deliver high quality, especially during a pandemic. I'll never go back! read more

First day of the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Tio's was the choice we all made to have dinner. It wasn't that busy and with no wait we felt we made the right decision. I had the nachos with beef and I must say for 11.00 nachos they were looked the part but tasted even better. They piled on the beef, beans, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. The plate was a medium size and I had some left overs to take with. My daughters ordered fish tacos, which she said were the best she'd ever had, and enchiladas which came looking large and tasty!! My son in law had a burrito and he couldn't even finish it! Id have given Tio's a five star except for the fact you don't get free chips and salsa when you sit down. You have to order/pay for them. I feel having free chips is a part of a authentic Mexican restaurant. They should rethink giving free chips and salsa! Otherwise, very good food, a little overpriced, and great location! read more

Will Tio's be taken over for a parking lot? The Ann Arbor News says maybe not. QUOTE: Ann Arbor not likely to take Tios property, officials say Posted by Staff Reporter Tom Gantert September 30, 2007 13:24PM Categories: Breaking News Ann Arbor won't likely seize a parcel of property east of city hall that houses Tios Restaurant under eminent domain to secure it for a parking structure, city officials say. The restaurant owners don't want to move - but they don't own the property. And the property owners aren't saying much. ... Mike Zahn, one of the owners of the Tios parcel, said he didn't have an opinion on the possibility of selling the land to the city. Tios owner Tim Seaver has started a petition and said Friday that he had about 200 signatures supporting his fight to keep his restaurant there. He said he doesn't want to move his popular Mexican restaurant. "I would have to start over completely," Seaver said. "Once you start a business, you are known for your location." City Administrator Roger Fraser said exercising eminent domain authority would "be a hard sell." "We don't have it in our toolbag of tricks to use," Fraser said. City Council Member Wendy Woods said seizing the property would be the "ultimate last resort." "I don't know anyone on council at this point who would be willing to do that," she said. "We'd like to look at a lot more options before doing eminent domain." Woods said one possibility would be moving the parking structure to the city-owned lot near the Ann Arbor District Library's downtown location. The city directed the Downtown Development Authority to explore the feasibility of adding a parking structure east of city hall. read more

Found this place cause of man v food. Did it justice. Great fish tacos. Our server was nice. read more

Tio's Restaurant - Fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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I am quite shocked at the reviews for this restaurant, I feel like where I ate today was a totally different restaurant than the restaurant these reviews are talking about, I had to double check the address. My family and I stopped here for lunch today. We were promptly seated and greeted by the sweetest waitress (I don't remember her name, unfortunately). We started off with the chorizo empanadas, the dough was soft and flaky, the meat was flavorful with just the right amount of spice. I had the fish tacos, refried beans and cornbread. Everything was delicious and obviously made fresh. My husband ordered tingas, which he loved (and he's very picky). Our waitress was very attentive. We will definitely be back! read more

I've visited Tio's Restaurant a number of times for trivia nights, and had mixed experiences. For context, Tio's is located on one of the main Ann Arbor strips, which makes parking a little tough to find (I'd recommend looking closer to NeoPapalis if anything.) The establishment itself is well-lit, with wood paneling, tables and booths scattered about. The bar is well-stocked quickly accessible on the left-hand side. My servers have been very attentive and courteous, which makes placing follow-up orders quick and easy. My main qualm with this place is that the food is consistently below expectations. I've tried all variations of the quesadillas, the nachos, etc. and it's all bland and underwhelming for the price. That being said, the trivia nights are really fun since it attracts a happy audience and a number of return teams. Overall, I recommend visiting Tio's for the trivia, but don't come too hungry. read more

Tio's Restaurant - Bar - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Well, the restaurant is open late and they do deliver so that is a plus. Despite previous reviews by fellow yelpers about their service, I generally had good experience with the staff. The food, however, is just okay. Over the past few years, I came here to eat on number of occasions after a late night of school work. This gave me the opportunity to taste a lot of the menu, but none of them were particularly memorable. Overall, I think it is a good place for late night food, but I am never motivated to come here during regular hours when there are other options available. read more

Hi Jeremy, I was actually told to go when you are there, sorry it didnt work out that way. It was last Monday afternoon. I thought the selection was very good, one that I enjoy is Fortaleza Blanco, you may want to look into that one! Next time we are in the area we will definitely stop in and ask for you. Thanks. Mike read more

Excellent enchiladas and margaritas!! Sat outside on the patio and enjoyed this place very much. I highly recommend and will be back.

By far.... THE WORST "MEXICAN" FOOD in Ann Arbor. Wayyyyyy Overpriced. $12 nachos made with store bought chips, chorizo that was really ground beef with way too much paprika and some shredded cheese. This place made Taco Bell look good. Save your money and hit up a mom and pop Mexican place that serves legit Mexican food at real prices not this. read more

So, I wanted to check out Tio's because it was featured on a Man vs. Food episode I saw a few weeks ago. Of course, I don't foresee myself partaking in the Mt. Nacheesemo challenge like, ever, but it seemed like a fun place to visit. Our server recommended the Molcajete and we went for it. It came with a salad, which was okay. The Molcajete itself was great, as there was a little bit of everything. The steak, shrimp and cheese were my favorite parts of the dish. We had to get more tortillas (for a small fee), which was totally worth it! We went nuts and got milkshakes for the road. Mine was Oreo, which was super good! Rich and creamy! Ugh, I'm gonna have to hit the gym hard tomorrow! On a side note, the decor was appropriate and charming. Also (and more importantly), our server, Sarah, was amazing! She had great recommendations and was on top of everything! So, thank you Sarah, we'll be back for sure! read more

There's a lot of Tios hate going around, and I think it's largely undeserved. Tios knows exactly what it is--mid-range Americanized Mexican food. It's not gourmet, but it very solidly gets the job done. There are few places in Ann Arbor I'd rather go when I really just want a taco fix. Their sit-down menu seems to be a significant amount classier than their delivery food. Their taco variety (I guess it's coming through that I'm a taco fan) is more interesting if you come in for a meal--there are a handful of interesting specialty tacos. Their corn chips seemed freshly made the last time I was there. The service was so-so. Does it have its shortcomings? Yes. But it can do a great job of scratching a certain kind of cheap Mexican food itch. read more

There isn't much to say that hasn't already been said about Tio's....basically, it's edible Mexican-style food. The cocktails are decent (although slightly pricey) and the margaritas are definitely delicious. Skip the sangria - I found it to taste more like soda than wine and it probably had a lower alcohol content than Bud Lite. The most amazing culinary experience of your life is admittedly not to be found at Tio's, but the most amazing serving experience is: Ben is an angel of the highest echelon and sits at the right hand of God. If he is your server, consider yourself blessed. read more

Tio's is what I call Pseudo Mexican... it's truly their own take on Mexican food. Pros: They make a unique refried bean... thick and cuminy... I've grown to love this. It goes well on their taco salad which I get with #4 salsa (the only salsa that doesn't taste like canned tomatoes) and house dressing. They have a decent taco offering and their fish tacos are very good. Their queso is pretty thin when it first comes out but when it cools off it thickens and it quite tasty. Cons: Their burrito and enchiladas lack any flavor whatsoever. They're on the pricier side for lunch in Ann Arbor. I've never had a problem with service. They used to have bottles of hot sauce out for sampling but they rarely are out any more. I have to check my take-out order to make sure it is right (got stung on no salsa and dressing many many times.) This is a big one for me: it was a major turn off when the owners asked for donations to financially help them move to their current location on Liberty. Tio's is an acceptable choice for Pseudo-Mexican food when on campus or in the downtown area. read more

By far my favorite Mexican restaurant and dining spot in Ann Arbor. They have the best queso, wet burritos, and margaritas. The prices may seem steep but at least you're getting quality. Update 10/18 - still my favorite place to dine downtown; however, had poor service a couple weeks ago. My waitress didn't seem to care about me since I was there by myself. I watched my beer sit at the bar for 8 minutes while she was chatting with a coworker. I will keep coming back though. If I get her as a server I will probably request a different server. read more

Tios is great for a quick app and drinks. It's my go-to place to bring friends before going out for the night since it's never too busy. I always order chips and the salsa, table side guacamole, and queso to munch on. The guacamole is fresh and flavorful (it's made right in front of you) and the queso is extremely addicting. It's a great trio to split between friends before heading to a big night out. I also reallllly love their margaritas. Usually they're a hair on the stronger side, which is something I definitely prefer. I'll usually order a pitcher and split it with the group I'm with. There's just something about fresh margaritas, guacamole, and queso that I never get sick of. There's a ton of competition in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area in regards to Mexican food. I feel like there are much more authentic places one could go to if they were seeking a big, flavorful Mexican meal. However, if you're like me and enjoy a quick snack and some delicious pre-game drinks, Tios is your place. Especially considering the fact that it's nearly impossible to go anywhere else at night in A2 without waiting at least 45 minutes. Just eat the damn queso and be happy. read more

The old Tios had some type of local charm/magic. Even on a slow night, there was barely a place to sit. The food matched the atmosphere. It's time for an upgrade. Their website says "Tios promises that all of our recipes use only the highest quality, best tasting ingredients" They need to get some highest quality, best tasting recipes as that's just as important as the ingredients. I've been to the new Tios three times. Every time, the only thing worth going back for: The service and (hopefully) to hang out with the people that made up your party. e.g., The quesadilla should not be a difficult thing to do well. I know this because I've had these all over town and everyone else seems to be able to get it right. The meal was thin and bland; the presentation matched. After scraping away the large blob of sour cream, the remaining slices were either stuck together or soggy. We were served by a guy named Rob who said he had been there a long time. He was excellent, as were the assortment of salsas that he delivered more than once. Suggestion to Tios: Send in some mystery diners or just eat some of your own food. There's no way a signature item like a quesadilla should ever be anything but perfect. If I had only had the beer and chips, I wouldn't be writing this. That part, along with all of the staff would get five stars. However, if "Mexican Restaurant" is to be part of their name, they need to urgently get a Mexican chef in there to help with the recipes and preparation. read more

I used to really enjoy this place, but the last couple times I have been here I have realized that the food isn't the only thing that matters. The last time I was there our waiter treated us like we didn't matter at all. I received the wrong meat on my dish, and he tried to convince me that I did in fact order it this way. He quickly realized that he was in fact the one that had it wrong. He didn't offer to bring me something to tide me over while the rest of my party ate, I had to eat after they were all finished. Not to mention, not as much as an apology or appeasement of some sort. I am convinced they don't have a manager at this restaurant because it seems to be poorly run. I think they could do much better with the proper authority in place. read more

This restaurant is amazing. I've probably been here a hundred times. Chips and queso, margs, delicious food. Delivery is fast. Employees are friendly, great people. Highly recommended. read more

Tios is the best restaurant to order Mexican food from during covid times!! Would 100% recommend! Thanks for supporting grad students tios!

The food at Tio's is really, really delicious. I got a vegetarian burrito with fajita veggies, and it was the best I have had in town, smoky, well seasoned, fresh. My SO got a duck taco and a fish taco, and raved about them. The biggest problem we had was the service. Like our waitress was no where to be seen. She stopped by to give us water, and left before we could place our order, and didn't come back for 5 minutes. While the food came out quick (the restaurant wasn't busy at the time), we couldn't find anyone to wave down to pay our check. It was bizarre. Maybe would be better to take out? read more

I got taco bowl salad and it was huge, The price is worth the portion. The atmosphere is pretty casual. I would definitely come here to pregame on the tequila, excellent selection. read more

Got takeout at Tio's, food was fantastic, and they also gave us a container of water for my dog when we were sitting outside after they gave us the food. Totally unexpected and so kind! People working there are incredibly friendly. read more

When Tios was a hole in the wall back when I was in high school, it was terrific. Ever since they "upgraded" and moved to Liberty Street, they started to suck real hard. Best margaritas in town? That's untrue. Service has been slow each of the three times I gave it a shot, and the food is nothing to write home about. The only thing that remains top notch is their selection of hot sauces, which you will need to cover up the mediocracy of their food. read more

Carnitas Tacos are great. Brandon provided excellent service. Great place to come in and have a late night snack and a good Margarita. read more

Tio's Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I ordered the double margaritas, a wet burrito, and fajitas. The delivery was on time to the minute I ordered and I swear these were the best margaritas that I have ever had. I will definitely order again!! read more

What a rip-off. I've been eating Tio's for many years.. back when they had an Ypsilanti location and were less pretentious. Purposely avoid this place for a number of reasons: 1) This isn't Mexican food. It's poorly (if at all) flavored slop. You'd be better off buying some shit at the grocery store and making it yourself. It'd be cheaper anyway. Which brings me to.. 2) The pricing structure here is insane. To charge $10 for an a la carte bland burrito is mind-numbing. EVERYTHING is overpriced. You can't even get chips and salsa for free. It's $2.50. For some of the plainest tasting salsa I've ever had. Salt is your friend. To proclaim to be Mexican and charge for chips and salsa is just gross. 3) The staff here is sub-par. You're paying nice restaurant prices but not getting equivalent service. For example-- my parents wanted to go here tonight, so we did. After seating us, mid-schpeal, the host turned and walked away. We have no idea what she tried to tell us. She just left. Also her shorts were SO short. I worked in restaurants for five years.. this would have never been acceptable. Pretty sure I saw her ass cheeks. As for the waitress- she was fine. Nothing memorable. For $17, I got 7 tiny slices of chewy beef, along with a whopping 3 tortillas and what mostly consisted of onions on the platter. I've said it 100 times, this place tries too hard to be what it's not. You're not a fancy restaurant. Your food isn't that good. Your staff isn't that good. Back in the day you were good at what you were: sub-par Mexican food for a decent price, even delivery! You're trying way too hard. STAY IN YOUR LANE. read more

Waitress SUCKED stuck us in a corner booth then proceeded to forget about us. Worst experience I've ever had here almost don't want to come back read more

Forget this place. We had a rude waitress last night, Sarah, who walked by our outside table for 15 minutes, said she 'wasn't our waitress' and it took going inside to find a manager to make her even wait on us. She had time giggling with a table of three cute boys behind us, but after being forced to take our table, didn't bring us silverware, took forever with the drinks and finally got our order and eventually our food and then went into automatic pilot. Then got confused with the split bill with the two credit cards our friends and us used. Unless this place gets it's act together, it's going to be another failed restaurant that litter the history of Ann Arbor. I was so unhappy I didn't even feel like drinking. Lol. read more

This is insane. Tios's dishes are amongst the most vile foods I've ever consumed, without exaggerating. It is epically bad. They somehow make the food both bland and gross, which is difficult to do. Take it piece by piece: the chips and tortillas are bland and stale. The chicken is dry and tasteless. The cheese is of such low quality that it should be served to prison rioters. The "sauces" that go on enchiladas and wet burritos taste like reheated chef boyardee; it's this grotesque, sickly sweet tomato-based sauce that is incomprehensibly terrible. The rice tastes and looks like Uncle Ben's minute rice with food coloring. And here's something else. The food isn't bad because it's inauthentic. Being inauthentic doesn't necessarily mean bad. Zingerman's is very far from a real Jewish deli, but it's still great. The food at Tios is bad because it is poorly prepared, almost completely unseasoned, and consists of horrendous ingredients. I can confidently state that Tios is, across the board, the worst restaurant I've ever eaten at. Notice I did not place any qualifiers on this statement. Regardless of price, genre or location, Tios is the worst of the worst. read more

We ordered guacamole to start. Our server was super considerate and attentive and noticed that when he put it down, it was slightly browned at the top. He offered to take it back to the kitchen and bring a more appetizing platter. The shrimp tacos were incredible. read more

Now i expected a lot from this Mexican Cafe since there are only a handful Mexican restaurants in A2. Sadly, this restaurant lemme dwn.... I guess Banditos is still better!!!! Me no Espanol damsel but i certainly know how Mexican food looks and tastes. Tried the Veggie Empanadas and Chicken fajitas. The two stars are only for the chicken n the super hot salsa!!! The refried beans were so overly cooked that they looked like a dirty n weird looking paste. Ewwwww!!! Always remember the mantra for success: "Presentation talks to the customer"!!!! U can never win a customer with a poor presentation n weird looking dirty food. That being said, i didnt have the courage to order anythng else coz it just spoiled my mood!!!! The server at our table was very nice and patient with us n i dnt blame her for the poor food. She gets all the 5 stars from me but not the food. I am never coming back to even look at the kinda food they serve here n to top it all its even pricier!!! No way!! M not burning ma Moolah here EVER!!!! Amigos b sane to make your choice....Gracias n Adios!!!!! read more

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Ordered a Chimichanga and requested Cheese and sauce over it. Charged me extra $4 for it. I mean $4 for cheese and some sauce is crazy. Chela's is nearby and serves better food at half the price. Not going to Tios again. read more

I want to love the food at Tio's. It's a family-owned business that has been around for a long, long time. The people who work there are friendly. The decor and atmosphere combine to make a great place to sit and have a meal. The bar is small, but comfortable, and the bartenders are super nice. It's just the uneven quality of the food and cooking that are the main problems. If only Tio's would invest in slightly better quality ingredients and work to make sure that the quality of the cooking--and the finished quality of the food that comes out of the kitchen--were consistent. For example, nachos should never be served with unmelted, shredded cheese. What should happen is that whomever heads the kitchen checks the food before it's served and catches the simple mistake. As for the quality of the ingredients, better spicing (using roasted garlic instead of just fresh) could mask a variety of Gordon Food Service sins. The salsa made with canned tomatoes could benefit from fresh cilantro and cilantro seeds. Tacos served using stale corn tortillas? Really? This is a bush league mistake that, once again, shows inconsistency in kitchen quality control. The Pros: atmosphere, staff, bar, guac, warm corn chips, empanadas of all kinds, queso dip, mixed drinks, taquila selection. The Cons: see above. Please. See. Above. I'd rather my money go to Tio's than Chipotle, but I've never been served stale taco shells at Chipotle and their salsa never has a tinny taste. Ever. Come on Tio's! Invest strategically in some better quality ingredients and tweak your recipes. Double down on quality control in your kitchen. Taste all the food you cook. Check every dish that goes out of the kitchen to make sure it's the best you can offer your customers. I keep coming back for more, but how about you work to raise your Yelp score over the long run? read more

Show up at midnight, get a waiter. He takes your order for water. He does not come back for 20 minutes and you end up leaving. So, I guess Tio's doesn't want business whatsoever. Highly disappointing. read more

Food was ok, came quickly. Service was ok but what Mexican restaurant doesn't bring chips and salsa?! At all . In fact the waitress disappeared till our food was ready. read more

I appreciate that they are open late. Unfortunately I would rather drive to the 24 hour speedway convenience store and buy frozen food to cook. After two bad outings at Tio's I wrote it off and went elsewhere for Mexican food. read more