Little Hacienda — Restaurant in Hollister

I'm not easily impressed with Mexican restaurants in Missouri, but this one checked all my boxes. The service was great, the food came out quickly, and the restaurant is located on a charming street in downtown Hollister. The ambiance was a bit stark with bright rather than warm and cozy lighting, but it was clean and comfortable.

Now on to the food:

First, all the "basics" were perfection: the rice, beans, salsa, and guacamole. The rice was the perfect texture and well seasoned. The beans were delicious and not too bland. They were smooth but neither runny nor stiff. The guacamole was possibly some of the best I've ever had.

Next, I was excited to see my favorite Mexican fish on the menu: fish ceviche. Many places in Springfield have shrimp ceviche only. The ceviche was delicious. Everyone in my group tried it and liked it, even those who aren't really fish fans. It has a nice balance of flavors.

Also, my husband's fish tacos were possibly the best I've had in Missouri. I know that's not saying a lot, but I genuinely liked these and they had all the things I'm looking for: corn tortillas, breaded and deep fried, cabbage (not lettuce), and chipotle crema.

I was also impressed with my mom's beef enchilada. The sauce was a delicious homemade chili type sauce, not the typical red stuff out of a can.

Finally, I'm quite possibly the most picky person I know when it comes to margaritas, and I really enjoyed their top shelf margarita. It was a good blend of sweet and sour, not too strong or too weak, and I could taste real agave. The presentation was nice too.

Oh, and my brother's horchata also scored big points for both taste and presentation. It was very good, cinnamon forward, and came garnished with a horchata popsicle!

This is now probably my favorite restaurant in the Branson area--definitely the best Mexican restaurant in Branson--and I will...

Little Haciencta Stopped in to enjoy some Mexican food and drinks Order a Taco Plate and a flight of margaritas and fresh made guacamole dip.

The decor of this restaurant is colorful and decorative. However, the sound is extremely loud. We were seated in the back area past the bar. You could not hold a conservation at the table . The seating area consist of close, small tables leaving you feeling cramped when seated. More room would be helpful , As time you receive your drinks, an appetizer and your entrees. Your table is beyond full and the plates are hanging off the sides.

The margaritas are and we quickly discover we only had 4 glasses each. These previous time we were served 6 on a margarita flight here. Not sure what happened there. Notr was we able to pick the drinks of choice.

The drinks were presented on a wooden platter and the presentation was good. But, the overall taste was lacking . The jalapeno one drink was our absolute least favorite.

The beef tacos We had remember being very flavorful. But, this particular time beef tacos seem to be lacking enough seasoning leaving overall taste less desirable. When the chips and salsa were served, the chips were served cold. However,, the salsa was flavorful and good.

From our previous visit to our present visit, the quality has seemed to have decreased on this visit.

Also, our waitress was not real friendly and seemed to rush us out the door.

It was a Friday night, but there was no one waiting to be seated when we left.

Based on the previous experience is what brought me back before this present one. But based on the present experience I can't say that I want to return for another one.

I understand restaurants have good days and bad days and I guess this was a bad...

I've eaten here occasionally since they opened, many moons ago. Always fresh, well made and delicious, though prices are a little high reflecting that quality. This isn't a corporate chain with cheap pre-made cardboard food.

Lunch time has a great specials menu that is far cheaper, but my last visit - ordering from the main menu - was $52 for two, with shared appetizer and 1 (delicious) margarita each.

I especially love the steak chimichanga, the verde pork and the besitos caliente appetizer (a large shrimp and cheese stuffed into a deep fried jalapeño). Their salsa has no heat whatsoever but you can ask for hot sauce and stir it into the salsa. It is crazy hot, so be careful with it. Doesn't take much at all!

There isn't another place in town that serves fresh Mexican food like this (as opposed to the heavier Tax-Mex style) except for the pricier Cantino Laredo at the landing.

It is a pretty small place and service is generally prompt...