Creative Loafing Tampa

Great Place with Great Food!

   I love going here. They have some great food and great atmosphere. The servers are great and everone seems so friendly! I wish I lived closer!

Authentic and Healthy Mexican!

   Casa Tina's is the BEST authentic Mexican in the area. I have been eating there 2-3 times a month for over 15 years. The owners – Tina and Javier Avila can always be found in the restaurant helping out and talking to the customers. They are two of the most involved restaurant owners I have ever met! The service from the staff is personal and many of the familiar faces have been employed at Tina’s for years.
   
   The menu has the classics and also many real Mexican inspired sauces and dishes. Tina is a vegetarian so they do not use any animal fat in any of their cooking and many of the great sauces are available with beef, chicken, fish or veggies! Try the posole (hominy stew) or cactus salad for an appetizer. Then be sure to try one of the dishes with the authentic Mexican sauces - mole verde, mole poblano or salsa roja! If you like fish all of the fish dishes and sauces are wonderful. They now have a full bar and serve many South American drinks. Since moving into a larger location next door they have started cirque dance performances on the weekends and all of the décor is authentic and direct from artists in Mexico.

Great place to take a date to wow them!

   Saturday nights they have like a Cirque du Soleil performance in the middle of the restaraunt!! I have taken several friends there as well as my mom and dad and they loved it! I highly recommend the shredded beef burrito which the meat is other-worldly! Ask for some of their homemade green sauce if you like a little extra spice-My mom and dad ate it and said it was just spicy enough. Tina, one of the owners is always busting her butt. I love an owner that is in the trenches too. I eat here at least twice a month and it's not enough!! Just a really great place to grab a good bite to eat :)

Pushy service but good food

   I would eat here more often if I could get the wait staff to get it right just one time! Talk about overbearing. I've eaten here 5 times, each time with a different server, each time feeling like I needed to eat and run! I hate that in an establishment! You'll belucky to get a second drink, they seem to ignore you until you order. I guess they figure if they're rude enough and pushy enough, you'll order and leave, quick. That being said, they have the best mole outside of Red Mesa in St Pete. You can get it authentic or green or combo. The mushroom quesdillas are delicious and the starving artist plate can't be beat for $5.00! If you like fast service and want to be in and out in under 30, go here, if you want to take your time and enjoy a meal with someone, try somewhere else!