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Welcome To El Molinito
El Molinito, located at 3675 W Ina Rd in Tucson, AZ, is a cherished destination for authentic Mexican cuisine. Known for its generous lunch specials and delightful dining experience, patrons consistently praise the attentive service and friendly atmosphere. The restaurant offers a diverse menu, featuring standout dishes like the flavorful beef tamale and burritos that are generously filled and packed with quality ingredients. With comfortable seating and inviting lighting, El Molinito is not just a meal; it's a warm gathering place for families and friends, making it a perfect spot to celebrate community and culinary traditions.
About
El Molinito
Welcome to El Molinito, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, located at 3675 W Ina Rd. This delightful restaurant combines vibrant flavors with a warm, family-friendly atmosphere, making it a perfect spot for both casual lunches and special gatherings.
Stepping inside El Molinito, you’ll immediately notice the muted lighting and comfortable dining space that strikes a balance between intimacy and liveliness. As remarked by satisfied diners like Jesse Huggins, the attentive service here makes every visit feel personal, even during the bustling lunch hours. The ambiance is lively yet respectful of conversation, allowing for a pleasant dining experience.
The food at El Molinito is where it truly shines. Customers rave about the menu, which features a plethora of authentic Mexican dishes. For instance, Cheryldean K. De Guzman recommends it for anyone craving delicious meals at reasonable prices. Whether you’re enjoying their famous Beef Tamale and Cheese Enchilada Combo or choosing from their extensive lunch specials, each dish is crafted with care and rich flavors. Heino Puidak attests to the generous portions that challenge even the heartiest appetites, emphasizing the freshness of ingredients, with standout items like their spicy salsa and unforgettably flavorful guacamole.
One of El Molinito's highlights is its commitment to creating a welcoming environment. As regular visitor Devy S describes, the restaurant serves as a cherished meeting place for friends and families alike, making it a hub for celebration and connection. The smiling staff, exemplified by attentive servers like Sammy, go above and beyond to ensure your dining experience is exceptional. Whether it's someone’s birthday or a monthly catch-up among friends, El Molinito fosters bonds over delectable meals and shared stories.
In summary, El Molinito is more than just another Mexican restaurant. It’s a celebration of culinary excellence and community, making every visit an experience to remember. With its savory dishes, friendly service, and inviting atmosphere, I wholeheartedly recommend El Molinito to anyone seeking a taste of authentic Mexican cuisine in Tucson. Come for the food, stay for the warm atmosphere, and leave with a smile.
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“ Nice dining experience. My server was attentive and my food delivered quickly during the lunch rush. The dining room lighting was muted and the noise from conversations was reasonable. ”
“ This place is great. Their food is good and reasonable. Friendly staff and great service. I do recommend them to anyone who wants great Mexican food. Family friendly as well. Thank you, Cheryldean K De Guzman May 27, 2025 @ 2:15 p.m. ”
“ Excellent Food - Plentiful Lunch Specials We visited the Oro Valley location on Oracle for lunch. Information on my phone said they have outdoor dining - they do not. We sat in a very comfortable room that might have been a patio area years ago, but is now enclosed with large windows looking out over the parking area. Fresh tortilla chips and a very tasty, slightly spicy salsa were brought to the table immediately. My wife and I both ordered iced teas. I do enjoy beer, but they have no beer on tap - only bottles and I prefer tap. The menu is quite extensive and there are Lunch Specials which are a buck or two lower in price compared to standard menu pricing. My wife selected the Beef Tamale and Cheese Enchilada Combo(7.99). I ordered the Burro of Choice With Works. I chose shredded beef as my burro protein and when ordering 'With Works', you have options to get the burro enchilada style (ranchero style sauce and melted cheese over the burro), guacamole side, and sour cream side - any or all of these. I got it all! All lunch specials come with either rice or beans. Unlike most restaurants where lunch specials tend to be a smaller portion of a standard menu item, these dishes were anything but small. My wife had an excellent tamale filled with an abundant amount of flavorful shredded beef. A perfect ratio of masa to beef. Her chicken enchilada was excellent topped with a bit of spicy enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. As the sauce was a little spicy for her, she asked for some sour cream. Out came a bowl with maybe a full cup of sour cream (2.49 add-on) and was a perfect pairing with the sauce. The Mexican rice had more flavor than most. Centered between the enchilada and tamale was a small undressed salad. My plate could hold no more. A very large sauce and cheese covered burrito, large sides of sour cream and one of the best guacamoles I've had in Arizona. I also had some undressed salad. The refried beans were tasty, especially when I added some of the salsa. The burro is packed with shredded beef. No beans or other fillers. I brought home 2/3 of my burro, my wife did likewise with her enchilada, plenty for another lunch. We recommend this place for sure. Go hungry and you'll still bring food home. ”
“ I really enjoyed my meal here. The chips and salsa were amazing. Others in my group weren’t so pleased but we all have our own opinions so go check them out rather than just take my word for it ”
“ Once a month, our "walkers group" join together here to celebrate anyone in our group who has a birthday that month. We really enjoy each other's company and the little family we've created. The service here is great and the food is delicious. Sammy our waiter always greets us with a huge smile and is so kind. He even takes pictures for us without complaining. I look forward to our gathering each month and the friendships that we have made. ”
“ 11.11.22 Update... Birthday lunch and the experience is always great however today was exceptional! Our server, Maribel, when above and beyond in our opinion. As we asked for to go boxes she not only brought containers for every single part of our meal that we were taking home but also extra drinks for the road. This is the first time we have experienced this particular service and our server deserves a shout out exclamation thank you Maribel! A true favorite for the hubby and I. Friendly and just delicious! Call in order for pick up or dine in you won't be disappointed. ”
“ This was our second visit. The food is delicious. The service is fantastic. The only issue we had on this visit was the WHOLE restaurant was empty and instead of seating us across the room, they sat us near the podium where employees spent the whole time jawjacking. The next table was set across the room. We will ask to move next time. ”
“ We have been coming here off and on for the last few years, there for awhile it was touch and go. Tonight it was definitely a 5 star night. We got seated right away, our server Beto was very attentive and served our meals timely and tended to any requests we had. We tend to have a little bit of everything so tonight we ordered the Mixed Grill made for two persons, a chicken chimichanga and a red chicken enchilada. Everything came out perfectly made and hot from the kitchen. They even had coffee made after 5 at night, it too was delicious! Atmosphere was family oriented and relaxed with pleasant chatter creating a comfortable ambiance. ”