Los Tapatios

The décor is interesting to look at. It’s small so can be crowded when busy. The host was nice, but the server was sub par. I interacted with her about 3 or 4 times during the visit and was never particularly cheerful.
When my plate came (chicken quesodilla) it was drenched in a white cheese sauce. The sauce wasn’t in the description on the menu and I’d never encountered this at other places, so I questioned the server about it. Her response was to act shocked that I didn’t know and make us feel like we should have. She didn’t offer to take it back, only asking if it was okay. My wife, who ordered a combo plate that had a quesodilla, had no sauce on hers and a different kind of chicken.
Our check was brought out unprompted, which was good since we had no desire to stay further. This place had promise but the food didn’t really match the menu description and the service was pretty lackluster.

This place was a «hole in the wall»… And what do u get at a «hole in the wall?» A hole in a wall and great Mexican food! I grew up in the south and I find real rare places here in the north that cater to my needs of enchiladas, sopapias and molè, though this place had an interesting entrée for molé I didn’t get to partake, my needs for enchiladas was just to overwhelming, and it was worth it… I’ll be back to try the molé next time I’m dwn maybe with a side of Pacifico…

Friendly restaurant staff. Service was quick.
The rice and refried beans are tasty. The guacamole is excellent!
I’ve tried 3 types of main dishes and was disappointed in all.
Tried the chicken and shrimp fajitas. The meat was fresh but surprisingly tasteless. No spice not even salt. The vegetables were overcooked to mushy.
Tried a cheese enchilada. Not sure what kind of cheese was used. Seemed a mix between American and a wannabe cheddar cheese. Overly salty.
Tried a pork tamale. Liked the sausage topping but the shredded pork inside was very dry. Definitely needed mole sauce.
I might come back to try the tacos. For now, this place gets a two-​star rating from me.

The tacos were boring but the steak fajita quesadilla was awesome. On the other hand the service was HORRIBLE. The waiter took our order and disappeared, the food runner brought our food the three of us were sharing, we asked for plates, then watched her socialize in the kitchen and never brought is sharing plates. The waiter finally showed back up after we were done, but took another 20 minutes to pick up the debit card sitting on the table. The margarita was so-​so, but hard to order another one without a waiter. Not worth my time to go back…

This bar/​resteraunt is in a basement, which is pretty cool. It has a hole in the wall/​small bar feeling. The décor is wicked cute and they have a decent selection of alcohol. The food was good! We split the Los tapitos dip, which had a nice spice to it with a cool edge. Warning! If you don’t eat alot maybe split a meal because they are huge! I tried the cimichangas which weren’t bad, but I wish they had a shrimp selection besides beef and pork. Service was slow. Took about 20 mins to place foid. Alcoholic beverages are a little pricey. The happy hour prices are about average with a lime Margarita being 6.50, however I ordered a watermelon house margarita and it cost $ 10 which I felt like was a little pricey overall it was decent food but I went there to go strictly drinking.

Top 10 reasons why you should visit this restaurant. In no particular order.
1) The dank basement ambience. Think Mexican Speakeasy! The password is «Pacifico»…
2) The repulsive blast of chemical cleaner stench as you open the front door to descend into said dank basement. You will need to wash this away with a Margarita!
3) The bar filled of a Friday afternoon with boozy Biddo roofers and secretaries from the district courthouse next door, slurping down sugary-​sour Margaritas with inverted Coronas stuck in ‘em. Never gonna understand that trend…
4) 3 huge flatscreens, all tuned to soccer soccer soccer en español!
5) The daily $ 4.99 lunch specials (except Fridays and weekends) serving up a massive, instantaneous, and piping hot portion of beans, rice, and somethun, take your pick of enchilada, burrito, chalupa, chile poblano, etc etc.
6) The «large» draft beers served up in 1 L mugs that look like slender versions of the bad boys you get at Oktoberfest in Munich. That’s the express train to happiness, German-​Mexican style.
7) The Narcocorridos they will play at your request, once you have gained their trust and respect by slurping down two to four of those badboy beers.
8) The vast selection of hot sauces they keep in a glass-​faced kabinet that you are welcome to mix and match and dose your Corona-​soaked Margarita with, should you so desire…
9) The fact that they stay open in the middle of the deepest freezes and heaping-​est snow storms of the Maine winter, ready to whisk away your hatred of this clime in a quick Jalisco rinse (see points 1 through 8 above).
10) The last words you hear as you stagger out, full to bursting with bulldogs, beans, and burritos, are «See you tomorrow!!».
Man, after all those superlatives, I’m gonna have to go there for lunch!

Had dinner & drinks there before going to theater. Large menu with reasonable prices. Food was over salted and everything on plate tasted the same. I had a #21 combo, burrito, taco, chalupa. Same bland salty hamburg meat in all of them. The margarita drinks were over priced and we’re not mixed to order. They have a 5 gallon container pre mixed and fill the plastic margarita glasses from that. All in all about as far away from authentic Mexican food as you would get at a Taco Bell. I will say the warm tortillas and salsa very good

I’ve given this place 3 tries. I’m done hoping. Maybe I’m picky because I’ve been in the biz for a long time, but I was far from impressed. The food was very bland and tasted microwaved. The beef in my taco was dripping with grease and went right through my soft taco shell. My friend could t finish his meal. Service was very slow. Seemed like the bar tender was also the only server in the building. The what seemed to be an owner seemed complacent with what was going on and didn’t get involved to help. The waitress/​bar tender didn’t have product knowledge and answered my question with it depends what I want each time. She could have been new. They were friendly considering everything. $ 40 and 2 hours later with a stomach ache. There’s so much potential here. Add staff, refresh the décor and focus on quality food and service.

Nice meal at very reasonable prices. Wings are surprisingly hot (but tasty). Combo platter is huge. Margarita was disappointing. Guacamole was very and tasty — nice large portion. The place is casual but pleasant. Staff was friendly. Food was served piping hot.

I’m updating my review after having eaten at Los Tapatios for over three years. I still like it and it’s better than any other Mexican restaurant in town. Granted, there’s better Mexican food to be had in southern California, but it’s pretty impressive for a city in the suburbs of Portland, Maine.
There are lunch specials every day and I eat more lunches than dinners at the restaurant. sometimes I eat in, sometimes it’s take out, but it’s always good. I’d also had dinner many times at Los Tapatios and while the service can sometimes be a bit too laid back once most people have left, the food it always good.
Yes, it’s in the basement. No, it doesn’t feel like a basement. It’s a casual place that’s sometimes a bit loud but the food has never let me down.

Awesome food at a great price! The Service was excellent and food was really good. If you are on vacation and need a break from seafood or just want some really good Mexican, this is the place.

Great food & a sensational waitperson named Heather. I had a special quesadilla like none other, great taste. My bride had a almost best ever simple taco salad. Placing shredded beef on the base ruins the bottom. If I had my way I’d deconstruct the dish w /​ingredients served on the side to keep the base crispy. Keep in mind her end thought was a very good Taco Salad. Extensive menu with great variations to chose from. I would love it if you added beef tongue to the menu.

Promptly greeted by Owner/​True Homie, Gama, upon walking in, «Primo!!», he exclaimed. Although I am of no Hispanic decent, I’ve never felt closer to home at another joint. This establishment presents its patrons with A1 Hispanic hospitality, and outstanding authentic Hispanic cuisine. Try a margarita (or 4), and proceed to demolish the gratuity chips and salsa placed in front of you. But be wary. Do not spoil your appetite, because this place presents quality entrees of epic proportions. Over the years I’ve been coming to Los Tapatios, and the staff is like family to me, or at least they treat me as such. Excellent service, excellent food, an absolute must try for anyone looking for an outstanding, authentic Hispanic meal of quality proportions. Si te gustan comidas deliciosas… !Necesitas ir a Los Tapatios!

Good solid Mexican food.
Coming from NY and eating in Jackson Heights, Queens where Spanish is King it was a little difficult for me to order my food. The new waitress had no clue about Mexican food and I am not used to ordering Mexican food in English translating it all. It was easier to get up walk into the kitchen and tell the chef in Spanish what I wanted… the result… my food came out perfect! :)

This place is good, real good. The fajitas and guac were bangin. The other mexican joint in town is garbage. I cant wait to eat here again.

Great Mexican at reasonable prices. Definitely recommend the special guacamole — only $ 8.95 for a big, fresh portion. I enjoyed the pork dinner and my husband the beef chimichangas. My son found the chicken in the fajitas too be dry, though. Good margaritas, fast and friendly service. Biggest complaint was lack of ac on a hot day.

Stopped in for a weekend lunch. We were seated right away in a cozy dining area. Chips and salsa were great, with just enough spice. I ordered the Vegetarian D: a bean tostaguac, cheese enchilada, and rice. This is my go-​to on Mexican menus, most places have this combo and it’s my favorite. Los Tapatios has amazing rice and a generous full portion on the tostada. I’m pretty sure this is the top of my list for this meal.
My only complaint was that the margarita was gross (and also $ 9!). Will skip that next time. The bar looks cozy for a happy hour too, but maybe just beer or tequila without the yuck sour mix. Otherwise everything was great, with friendly and quick service. I will be back next time I’m in town visiting my family.

I wanted to like this place because I heard it was «authentic mexican». Turned out to be everything I hate about east coast mexican food: just large portions of decent food. You know the style you’ve seen before: big plates smothered in sauce and cheese and everything kind of just blends together and tastes the same. I think the food had potential to be good but there they were catering to the quantity over quality.
The margaritas come in a glass that make them look huge but are just filled with a pre made mix– generic, not good, stomach ache material.
I guess it’s good for people that have never left Maine and had even good Americanized mexican good like those 2 $ tacos. Overall: basic food that didn’t feel much different then eating at a crappy chain Mex place by a mall. One pro: ask for the «family hot sauce» it must be the one be staff uses when they make their dishes, which thy should be serving us! 2 Stars bc the good is edible and the spot is a pretty cool basement atmosphere.

Sometimes, you just wonder if it was bad luck, especially when you read such glowing reviews and hear such great things from those in the community. Maybe the bubonic plague swept through the kitchen and the unlucky dishwasher was the only survivor left to man the controls. Whatever happened, our experience left a bad taste in our mouths. Pun intended.
I should first express that we got takeout. I am a believer that Mexican cuisine for takeout is a gamble. I have had good and so-​so Mexican takeout at places I like very much. However, in this case the pure sloppiness cannot be ignored. My daughter’s chicken tacos were flat out disgusting — sopping wet tortillas and a pile of ingredients twisted into an unrecognizable mess. My wife’s fajitas, requested with extra cheese, came with none. Also, no tortillas provided. The fajitas themselves were bland.
My dish — I forget what it was called, but it was basically seasoned steak and vegetables chopped up for rolling into tortillas — was edible, with a little too much chew to it. That’s the best I can say. It could have been worse.
The guacamole, despite looking like a college kid’s late night rejection of a slice of pizza and a bottle of Midori, defied odds and actually tasted very good, and the chips that came with it were very tasty. That, combined with the fact that I am basing this on takeout, gives it Two Stars. Trust me when I say I’m being generous.
Huge disappointment.

This place is interesting because it has a basement setting to it. When you walk in, you’re greeted by the server, then to your right is the bar, and the seating area is near the kitchen. I love watching how the cooks prepare food, it’s cool :) I had the Colorado Chile with beef in this brown spicy sauce, yellow rice, and liquid beans. I enjoyed every bit of it, but took a doggy bag home because of how big the portions are. I’ll definitely be back!