I was looking forward to an authentic Mexican cuisine experience, but I was pretty disappointed by the food and service and will not be back in the future. Our server, although nice, disappeared throughout our meal so we spent the first hour without ordering anything because he was nowhere to be found. Throughout the meal, this was the same and he not once came to check on us (mind you we stayed here for the duration of happy hour), so even though we wanted other items it was impossible to order them. The queso did was super bland, no flavor to it or spice that I was expecting. The quesadilla was more-so comparable to a lightly pressed soft taco, no crunch or cheesiness that comes from your typical quesadilla. It was not even pre-cut and the taste was disappointing. The saving grace were the happy hour drinks which we found to be tasty. We ordered the Paloma, which tasted like a spritz with a dash of tequila, and a large pitcher of the strawberry margaritas which was great and definitely had us tipsy. read more

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This location use to be really good however my last 2 visits the food was not good at all! The ambiance of this location is horrible, there was no music playing, like dead silence. Half the restaurant was closed, very empty. The servers look like they just wanted to go home for the day. They wasn't mean in any way but you can tell they're not being treated correctly. I tried it a few times thinking maybe it was an off day but nope! It really does suck! read more

Taco Tuesday is a great deal! Atmosphere is very Mexican. The chairs and booths must have been hand carved. Seems like a hole in the wall from outside, but inside is awesome and everything I've ordered has been as well. Only been here a few times, but will be back. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Chairs and booths are hand carved in Guadalajara. Amazing atmosphere. - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

It feels wrong to leave anything lower than a 5 Star Review at this point. Since my previous review, I have been back probably 5 times and have had nothing short of consistently good food. I get the samee meal every time because, well, I know what I like! Every time, the food has been fresh, the taco shells crisp, and their cheese? I don't know if they make it or if it is store bought but, it's to die die for! I have brought 2-3 people here for their first times to try it and they have all only had positive things to say. I would recommend to anyone! read more

It was my first time visiting this location in a few years. I raved to my friend but we weren't too impressed. The salsa was beyond bland with no cilantro or texture at all. We didnt even eat much of it (we both love salsa). I give the nachos 4 stars, the ground beef and queso was perfect then topped with lettuce and more cheese. I would have gave 5 stars but the few tomato wedges was different not being chopped. My friend got steak quesadilla and it was awful. It was small portion for around $16 and just looked like a big soggy taco and wasn't even cut like a quesadilla or crispy. Meat was very tough. He ate half and didnt even take it to go. I unfortunately didnt get a photo since he dug right in. Server never came back to ask if everything was ok I only stopped him passing to ask if he got the right order. We didn't feel comfortable sending it back since server seemed very disinterested in engaging the entire time after he dropped main course. He was great on prebusing the table, napkins and drink refills though. I order trio with taco, burrito and enchilada for $16. Beef was burnt dry almost black and chicken was very bland. I wont be rushing back here no time soon unfortunately. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - The taco was on a separate plate, wrapped in foil.This was my burrito and enchilada. - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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They don't have a website. I called in to place an order someone who doesn't speak English answered the phone I told them I wanted ceviche they said "si ceviche" I get there 25 minutes later no order is placed and a bunch of people are waiting to be seated. So I walk to the bar and they all in the corner on their devices. A complete waste of time. NOW I see why they have a 2 star rating. They also need a lady or something in here because these men are dirty and clearly don't clean up. read more

The food, service, and ambiance were okay. I prefer El Porto over Vallarta's Mexican Restaurant. read more

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Very legit, solid Mexican grub My lunch was $14 with a drink, in this economy that's about as cheap as I can expect, I will return read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Lunch taco salad with chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Great experience. Waiter provided a great meal a great service. Would highly encourage anyone to come here.

Love the food. Wish they had online ordering. Always a great place for lunch and pollo fundido is a game changer! read more

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Worst Mexican food I have had. Not well seasoned. Taco was bland. More cheese than beans. Chili Relleno was a small piece of bell pepper, a small amount of beef and loads of cheese. I pretty much had a bite of each and ate the guacamole salad. Margarita was good but expensive for lunch item. Flies at table. read more

I have been seeing this restaurant on social media for months. I finally decided to give it a try because I heard they had a buffet. Pros: Mexican vibes. I've visited Mexico. I must say that. This restaurant made me feel like I wasn't even in Tampa. The music and the decor really take you away. The food is fresh, the music is great, and the atmosphere was A1. Cons: Although the food was fresh and visually appealing, it was FLAVORLESS. I was floored. No salt. No pepper. No Mexican seasoning. NADA. You can taste the char from the grill but honey that's it. The salsa was watery and runny. Tasted like....nothing. This location does not have a buffet. Only the Dale Mabry location. Also, my friend and I ordered a lemonade and it tasted "fishy". I've eaten tacos all over Tampa Bay, and this is the only restaurant that charged me for cheese!! $4 because I asked for cheese on my tacos. I will never set foot in this location again, but I am interested in visiting the Dale Mabry location. read more

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Average service and the rice had the texture of it was sitting out some but the chicken and peppers was very good and the tortillas too. Overall very good value and I would come back read more

So good! The service and food was excellent and the queso was even better! Would definitely recommend!

This Vallartas was beautiful. I loved the mosaic floor, the painted table and chairs and the murals on the wall. Mexican decorations were everywhere. They also had a live singer performing. The hot fresh crispy chips were tasty along with the fresh salsa. However my friends enchilada meal looked like pot roast and gravy. The taco salad was ginormous and my friend seemed to be enjoying it. Our waiter must have been a manager. He spoke Spanish which gave me an opportunity to try my new Spanish speaking skills. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Absolutely horrible service. The manager in the blue shirt is rude and this place obviously the owners need to flush the service staff and start a new. Have never had an experience in a restaurant this appalling. read more

Food is usually pretty good but this is probably the 4th or 5th time we've come for lunch and get told at the door that something has "happened" and they can't open for at least an hour. The other day it was because "nothing was ready", time before that it was because they were short staffed, and today it's because the "cook slept in" and they aren't ready. Because of work schedules, we do lunch early (11-11:30) but we won't be trying to come here anymore since this keeps happening. read more

First time here and it won't be the last. The service was really good. The food was really really good. And the drinks were really really really good. We went on a Friday night and they had a very nice solo singer. The whole experience was pleasant. Will be back again. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Texas Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I have been here a few times and I my gets better every time I'm in town I try and go eat here not only is the food delicious the service is amazing!!! Food drinks service read more

I love this place. Reasonable price nice ambiance. I feel international when I dine dine. Great margarita's the staff is friendly. Seems like they are under staff sometimes so a little bit of wait for food but definitely worth the wait. Can't wait till they open the outside area. A hidden gem. read more

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We have come to this location and their location in Wesley Chapel multiple times, the food portions have been getting smaller and service at this location in Temple Terrace. The staff seemed disorganized there was not a set host/cashier, bartender or wait staff everyone was doing everything and it affected our service. The food is still good however, our waiter never came back to the table and proceeded to do other things. My burrito was cold but I couldn't bring it up because no one came close to the table until we were ready to go. The guy cleaning a table nearby ended up helping us more than the guy who was supposed to be. All in all it use to be a good place to eat but has declined. read more

Restaurant was nice inside. The rude hostess really gave us a bad first impression. She is an older white lady with glasses. Her tone was ugly at a number of people during our dinner. She seemed to want to hang out at the bar not do her job. Our food was good and it was big servings. Our other staff were great. I am glad we didn't walk out after meeting the "hostess" because we enjoyed the food. I don't know if I would return based on her if I lived in the area read more

You ask what you could improve-everything expect the young lady who seated us and checked us out. She seemed to be the only one who genuinely cared. The food came out fast but if you are looking for good genuine Mexican food do not come here. I/we have never given a bad review but this place needs a wake up call if it wants any repeat customers. The salsa was just pureed tomatoes or tomatoes juice - so disappointed! The food lacked any flavor. First time ever : biq zero! But in order to post this review had to give 1 star. That is for the hostess! read more

The food was subpar at best. Ordered chimichanga, burritos, nachos, and tacos. The service was slow, got two out of 4 orders completely wrong, however in their defense they remade the two orders. It still just wasn't good flavor. read more

Food was amazing, so was the service:) the atmosphere is really nice too, I love coming here with my family. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The service was as bad as the food! The sour cream was curds. The nachos were drenched in a nasty unflavored cheese sauce. The chips at the bottom were soggy because of the sauce. The Flatus had fat in both of the two I tried to eat. When we showed the server he made an excuse, "The meat we buy has a lot of fat on it". I'm sorry, that shouldn't be a problem your customers should have to endure. He didn't even try to correct the problem, he slipped me the tab. I forgot that I pre ordered Churros. But after the service of bad excuse and a horrible experience, we didn't want anything else from this place. read more

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Solid 4 stars for this Vallarta location! It's a bit crowded at times, but that is usually a good sign when you're looking for a place to eat. The service can be a bit slow and sometimes they have a lot of trouble understanding your order, but if you can be patient you will enjoy your visit. I've been here several times and each time has been pretty good and always entertaining. The drinks are really the spotlight. Get a margarita, or two or a pitcher. Just make sure you have a ride home because they are STRONG!! The food is really delicious and very reasonably priced. They have lunch specials as well which are really good deals. This past visit I had a (GIANT) beef taco and chile poblano for around $6 total. I love going during Happy Hour (2-7pm everyday) because margaritas are BOGO and beer is really cheap. On Monday & Tuesdays, tacos are only $1 which is a STEAL. Great flavor and a large menu of items to choose from overall. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - This is a giant beef soft taco and Chile Poblano. Despite the fact that it looks like someone vomited on my plate, it tastes amazing!! - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The food wasn't anything spectacular but it was pretty good. The sprite tasted a bit off. Service was a little slow but super friendly and I got there around 11:30 and they open at 11. My server, unfortunately never got his name, helped fulfill my request for onions and cilantro instead of cheese and lettuce on my taco. The ambiance was nice, good artwork. My total bill was about $25. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Lunch special #3. Chicken enchilada and steak taco with onions and cilantro. Chips and salsa and queso. - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I've been coming to this restaurant for almost 30 years. I've seen it through highs and lows. Lately though, quality has plummeted. This was the first Vallarta's in Tampa but I'd recommend one of their other locations instead - Wesley Chapel is my favorite. I mostly keep coming for the cheap lunch specials on Saturdays and the proximity to my apartment. The service is hit or miss. One waiter is usually fantastic and remembers me and what I like to order. Some days, though, they're short staffed. The day I'm writing this, the only employee on the floor is the owner, though there's a guy behind the bar who can't stop watching a soccer game long enough to lend a hand and bus some tables or refill some drinks. And the owner is absolutely terrible as a waiter. The food is good. It isn't amazing, it's barely authentic, especially when you consider a majority of the staff is Mexican. But it's good for a fairly low price. Their salsa is one of my favorites and trust me, I know my salsas. The happy hour margaritas are good but over priced when you consider they typically have a splash of tequila. Also, what kind of happy hour doesn't have a beer option? A "fun" new thing they're doing lately (or maybe it's just me because I'm a "regular" is not bringing a check to the table and expecting you to just go up front and the person ringing you up will wing it. That makes me feel really wanted and definitely secure about my totals. Also, good luck getting refills on drinks or chips or asking for more napkins. Realistically, I could just walk another half mile and eat at TacoSon but I'm tired and lazy, ok?? Give me my tacos de asada, tasty salsa, and mediocre service. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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This place is a great value. Generous servings of great Mexican food and great service by servers who know the menu in a relaxed casual atmosphere. Don't miss their happy hour! read more

The decorations were pretty and the seats were nice. The cup size was nice but the food disappointed me. Also the waiters rotated who is helping each table which made it confusing who to ask for help from. The one who took our order wasn't there when our food arrived and half the orders came out wrong. I had high hopes but the food was sub par. read more

The food was really great. The Guac was incredible, the food came out hot and fresh. While the interior is a bit dated, it is a really cool ambiance. The service was prompt, and very friendly. I highly recommend this place. read more

I'm surprised to see lower ratings. The customer service is always exceptional and the food is always delicious. I wasn't a fan of their soup though. Aside from that, I think they have great deals: especially during happy hour. read more

Vallarta Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Tampa, Florida

YUMMY YUMMY, our favorite Mexican restaurant! We r new to the area and searching for a Mexican place to fall in love with (tacos are my comfort food!!). We just sto happened to stumble upon this sweet place. Chips and salsa are free of course and salsa is more on the tomatoey side than the spicy side. The service has always been quick, accurate, and kind. The menu is large with some lunch specials. I get soft tacos w refried beans and sour cream- SSOO GOOD, every time and the tacos are WAY BIGGER than what I'm used to!! read more

First time .. went for taco Tuesday . Immediately seated .. food was amazing .. the happy hour drinks could be better . Overall good experience read more

Service is quick due to it being moderately busy. Place decore is great, authentic. The food is 8/10. Tampa didn't have many Mexican restaurant options unless you wanted to go to a taco truck but if your looking for a sit down restaurant with quick service I recommend. My mexican parents agree that the food was good as well. read more

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Food was great, although it could of been warmer, the service was good and I always like the ambiance.

Fire. Service was quick and efficient and the food was perfection. The grande quesadilla was amazing. The carnitas tacos were also amazing. Portions were huge. We will be coming back again! read more

Bland food, watered down margaritas and terrible service. Aside from the young lady at the register, who seemed genuinely concerned with our experience, everyone else was rude and uncaring. If you want authentic Mexican food and a great atmosphere, do not visit here. read more

There aren't many options in the area for this style of Mexican. The food is always good and the service is really fast. The grilled chicken quesadilla is my favorite! It's not super fancy but the taste and price is fantastic! read more