La Altena Taqueria — Restaurant in Chattanooga

We absolutely loved La Alteña! We are on vacation from Texas, where we have a Mexican food restaurant on every corner, so when we got a craving for it while in Chattanooga and found there were only 3 restaurants available, we looked for the one that locals frequent. La Alteña doesn't look like much from the outside, which solidified our decision to eat there, but was so very welcoming and the food was delicious! We saw many locals come through and talk to Tito like they're old friends. He spent a great deal of time at our table ensuring we were comfortable, the food was to our expectations, and our kids didn't need anything. He and his wife were the only ones in the place, holding it down on their own during this pandemic. They followed social distancing guidelines with seating their customers, wore face coverings the entire time, and she cleaned those tables with PASSION! 🤣 This is definitely on our must-do list when we come back through...

Authentic Mexican/Latino food in downtown Chattanooga. I read the Google review for a more "Americanized" Mexican restaurant that actually recommended Altena instead. It's a true local establishment without any fake decorations. We got the Guadalajara meal for our kids (rice, chicken, and melted cheese on a platter--tasted great and you cant go wrong there) and would recommend it for children or those with less adventurous tastebuds that still want a delicious meal. I had the Altena Burrito which was good, but the waiter recommended the Carnitas House Special which might have been even better(?) The free chips and two kinds of salsa were enjoyed while we waited for our food which took only a few minutes after ordering. Friendly service and excellent food makes this a place we would go...

I started with chips and salsa, and a horchata. The salsa had such a great flavor, I already knew the whole meal was going to be amazing. The horchata was just as I expected, perfect. The carnitas were amazing. The meat was so tender and flavorful, not a single dry bite. I was so full from carnitas, but I managed to get down one of the flautas and it was just as good. Luckily I was smart and got a to-go box so I can enjoy it for lunch tomorrow.

The service was great, super friendly and attentive employees, not in your face every second so you can enjoy your food, but he knew exactly when to check up. I'll definitely be back, and with friends. If you're looking for delicious food near Main Street in Southside, La Altena should be...