La Olla Mexican Cafe — Restaurant in Marana

It's a shame this restaurant is often over looked when deciding on a place to go eat. As a local Continental Ranch resident for some reason we rarely think of La Olla as a destination when deciding where we want to go eat...and to be honest I can't imagine why.

Im my 8 years in the neighborhood, it was one of the first restaurnats we discovered - and enjoyed. Honestly, we have never had a bad meal here.

Not only is it convenient, but the parking lot is more than adequate to handel a full house and then some, if and when there is a wait for a table.

The food is always great. I had a chili dish, which honestly resembeled Chili Colorado - a beef cube chili in a red sauce. There menu description certainly elevated my expectations...and I was not disapointed. Food was great.Even the way they describe their tortilla made me want one...you'll have to read it for yourself.

Whats great about their dishes, not only do they serve a traditional rice and beans but also a vegetable side dish in a creamy, cheesy sauce that I have not seen in any other restaurng. WOW, was it GREAT!

We don't drink, but there is a full service bar that you can sit at an enjoy your meal.

Service too was very good. Waitress checked on us twice after the food was served and before returning with the check. She was not obnoxios and never asked me a question the moment I put food in my mouth (a pet peeve).

The environment is very comfortable. There are two booths on either wall that will easily accomodate 6, and possibly 8, with a number of square table and chairs comfortably placed between across the dining room floor.

The only ding I give the place is for another pet peeve of mine and that is a large screen TV that can be seen from every table in the restaurant.

I know in todays world, many people eat out (or order in) most of their meals, but for my wife and I we grew up believeing eating out in a restaurant was a treat, not a convenience. We get to watch TV while we eat at home, it's not something we enjoy when eating out. We know it steals conversation as we sit and are memorized by sporting events on the screeen, without any sound. I know we don't have to watch it, we can sit with out backs to the bar and kitchen. I just find it annoying and refuse to give any establishment a full 5 star rating if the TV is broadcast to the entire restaurnt.

Overall, great restaurant and one we need to return...

Mediocre Mexican food in Continental Reserve. Small dining area with small tables and a bar that lines the back area with a kitchen behind that. Definitely think the space could be better utilized. The decor was nice and consistent...warm colors, so it fit the cozy but very loud ambiance. It was packed for a Thursday evening.

The table is set with salt, pepper, small candle and silverware that excludes a knife..."are knives expensive??," I wondered to my self. Then it all made sense when the food came out. I ordered a lighter play that included some strips of carne asada mixed with salsa, beans that tasted like canned beans that had been recently you warmed up or reheated and may be sprinkled with garlic salt or salt and pepper), red rice (that was clearly made earlier in the day judging by its consistency it was just reheated for the plate), and medium-sized flour tortilla; the hubby ordered the full carne asada plate which were also more strips of meat and essentially the exact same thing I got just more of it...the meat was flavored carne asada does it look more like fajita meat, salsa, calabacitas (these were of great consistency, and he ate them all without anything to say), medium-sized flour tortilla in addition to a green corn tamale pie (the tamale pie was great, it wasn't as good as the one you get at Cafe Poca Cosa but it was a great dupe, it was also perfectly crispy on the edges and nice and warm on the inside). One kid ordered from the kid's menu: a cheese quesadilla with beans on the side, the cheese quesadilla was all ready cut up in perfect triangular shapes which was great for the little one. The other one ordered a chicken flauta plate that came with two chicken flautas beautifully presented but was bland, dry and smothered in sour cream. The horchata is not traditional...best guess, they purchase it premade or maybe the mix at the store and then add some other stuff to it that makes it taste very similar to stevia.

Service was slow, there appeared to be only three or for wait staff. For all 4 of us plus drinks it cost $51... next time I won't be so lazy and long do my best to make a more traditional...

Tried the Carna Asada plate and everything was delicious! Phenomenal food, cooked to perfection with fantastic flavors. The Tamale pie was great and calabacitas was delicious and a perfect pairing for the carne asada. The spices were spot on. The salsa has a bit of heat and zest and is not a simple salsa like most places. It was a great dinner experience and look forward to returning for more delicious food they offer.

I've been back for happy hour specials and everything I have eaten here has been very very good! They seem to elevate or add or spice things just a bit differently. The flavors meld together extremely well to give you delicious food even for simple things in the happy hour foods seem to be better. Their tortilla chips are made inhouse I am pretty sure and they are tasty as well, the salsa has some heat and lovely flavor and so often the salsas are simple and just hot (spicy) whereas their salsa has some body to it and is not running away from your chips. I like a salsa that can be enjoyed with just a bit on a chip as well as those you just keep going back for more than just a bit but the flavor a d gear if the spices gives you a good flavor and modest or slightly spicy kick. Clearly they are tasting the batches they make to time the final product have the taste they achieve.

Wish my budget was not so limited as I would eat there weekly if I was not constraining my budget to a fixed amount for discretionary spending towards food or entertainment in my monthly budget. They will be seeing more of me, that is certainly a true...