Catalina Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Forest Park

Some of the best tacos in Atlanta are right by the airport. The asada is good and juicy. The al pastor is ok, as are the barbacoa, carnitas, and everything else. The lengua is incredible, and possibly the best lengua I've ever had. If you come in wanting to try 6 different tacos; maybe get an asada and a barbacoa, and 4 lengua. You'll probably resign to just getting all lengua next time. Like I said, the others are alright and not bad, but the lengua is out of this world.

Compared to other places, you get a lot more meat per taco. Easily double what you get on Buford hwy and at least 50% more than what you get at the taquerias in Woodstock. One thing to keep in mind is that everything is super juicy. A mixture of cooking broth and oil, but it's still a ton of actual meat as well.

You can see them make the tortillas from a huge slab of masa in the back. The burritos are good too, but why waste your calories on rice and stuff? Just get your weight in tacos.

In the morning and early afternoon, you'll have access to the topping and salsa bar. Nothing special, but the meats are already the star. You can always get free chips and salsa if you ask, but it's only given by default during dinner. After lunch, they will provide you with salsas and cilantro/onion but the topping bar is closed. If you get takeout, they'll pack all those things for you (in generous portions). You'll get a bill in the restaurant but you have to pay in the front, at the cash register. Be sure to tip your waitresses before then!

It's in the back of a grocery store but I rarely see people shopping. Everyone is here for the great tacos. During dinner you'll probably have loud, live music. Good if you like accordion or traditional Mexican music. It's not so loud that you can have a conversation on the other side of the restaurant, but you probably don't want to sit front row. Everything is clean, but it's not impeccable. Bathrooms are clean, and they dilute dishwashing liquid for hand soap. Temper your expectations for ambience. Raise them...

I would not give five stars only because you have to be real careful of what time of the day you choose to dine in. The cons for delicious authentic food is busy peak hours. After several visits I realized that for weekends we will choose breakfast (by 11:00 am before it gets packed and the band starts to play) I personally don't like loud places to be eating at. On late nights however, some lonely people not only go to eat but they actually stay a good while and leave drunken. I don't have any complains about the food, except when my sons order fried fish and it was burnt. The "MOLKA'XETE" is my favorite, I always share it with my daughter and we might have extra meat to take a couple tacos home. I have also ordered they Catalina's chicken for catering (an average of $11 p/p) for parties. In very few places waitress know the fact that even if the husband is the one ordering the food and asking for extra napkins condiments etc,. is actually the wife who end up determining the value of her tip. we're a family of six, for a bad attitude we had left only $4. SO basically if you don't mind loud places (juke box, mariachi, singer) boozed people, or waitress that will refill only your husband's "michelada", yes this is a very delicious food (just skip the fish and kids chicken nuggets) everything else is well worth it and...

I love authentic Mexican food Sooo I decided to visit this place, when my daughter and I walked in there were three females in the register area, I was excited and wore a huge smile, they looked at us and kept doing whatever they were doing, I mean neither of them greeted us or said I’ll be right with you, once another female came she proceeded to take our order until a Mexican couple and daughter walked in and sat at a table, well... my daughter and I was put on hold for her to go and serve the couple and took extra time to take their daughter to get something to drink, once she was done she attempted to walk past my daughter and I to go and put the couples order in soo I tried stopping her but all she could say was I’ll be right with you and proceeded to take care of them. As I’ve witnessed in order to get good customer service from this place you need to be Mexican or you’ll have to wait till later, they made my daughter and I feel not welcomed at all I mean these females wouldn’t even crack a smile at us but they did for the men. After still waiting I told my daughter I was no longer interested in ordering and we left. I know they make money but I chose to spend mine where I’m acknowledged, appreciated and welcomed. I cannot speak on the food because we...