Catrinas Tacos and Tequila Bar — Restaurant in Tampa

We (my girlfriend and I) really wanted to like this place. We were on a hunt for authentic Mexican food in Tampa and wanted this to be it. You can tell the people there want it to work but lack the guidance and experience necessary to pull it off. While this place has a lot of potential, we unfortunately did not have a good experience.

I have worked in multiple high-end successful Mexican restaurants, and here are some things that I really think would help Catrina's to be great:

#1 Food. Our food was not good - the oil in everything tasted old and rotten. The ingredients are NOT fresh. You've got to fix the food. People come to a place like this wanting an authentic Mexican experience. You could definitely pull that off with half the items on the menu. Stick with the classics and make them really great! For almost all dishes other than tacos you should put sauce on top then cheese on top on a thick white plate. Put that plate in a very hot oven, use the broiler, ensure the sauce and cheese are bubbling and have a few burn marks. That's what makes it delicious. Add something fresh on top like pico de gallo or guacamole or sour cream plus lettuce and cotija cheese. Ditch the rice and beans completely start over. Make classic Spanish rice not Chinese rice with peas and carrots it is very very bad. The off-white queso sauce is a major mistake - look up traditional regular queso. The best part of my experience was the margarita I ordered, it was very good. (Ditch the margarita in a bag)

#2 The service. Our service was very bad. Our waitress was trying her best, but almost everything we ordered came out incorrect, and we received and were charged for food we didn't ask for. We also didn't receive ice water or napkins. She clearly had never waited tables before, but had the attitude of someone who had. These are the basics of service and making them the default would have a big impact. YouTube waiting tables for beginners (not in a mean way you really could benefit from this, it's how I learned).

#3 The atmosphere. The building itself is amazing and truly feels authentic and is absolutely the best thing this place has going for it. The dangling lamps and ceiling are awesome. The music needs to be improved. People want to hear authentic, fun Mexican music, not random rock n roll or whatever. Also, the white bright light needs to be warm white and dimmed. The cups are plastic and the forks are plasticware in a bag, which is unacceptable. No matter what, wrap real silverware in linens every day, this isn't takeout. Also having a real paper printed menu in a nice plastic sleeve with NO pictures is very important.

We hope Catrina's gets better, if so, we'll be back. These women are trying really hard. It'd be great to see it...

Loved this place! If you’re a margarita lover like me, I’d definitely recommend Catrina’s over any other local taco/tequila bar. No reason to fight S Howard crowds to get Green Lemon when there's actually GOOD authentic food/drinks just slightly off the beaten path.

We came in on a Saturday evening around 6pm and were greeted and sat right away. The restaurant space is extremely cool, with lots of unique artwork and decor, not to mention the actual building itself. This place has a cool vibe and we really liked the music. Next time, I’d like to try the outdoor seating area. I believe this is the same Catrina’s that used to be on Macdill Ave - I went there back in 2015-2016 and LOVED it, so I was excited to try it again at the new location.

There was one woman running the entire restaurant, I believe she’s the owner. It was badass! While the place wasn’t packed, there were several tables, yet the quality of service never faltered. She’s got it running like a well-oiled machine - all on her own! I do think (especially on a Saturday) she could use some extra help, at least a food runner or bar-back/busboy, just to make it less stressful for her and so she could spend more time with patrons. It wasn’t slow service by any means, I just would’ve liked a little more time to chat to get menu recommendations and such. It was impressive how attentive she was to everyone and how delicious everything was, but she didn’t even seem to break a sweat!

My fiance and I both had margaritas, which were fantastic. I wouldn’t call myself a margarita ‘snob,’ but I definitely know my margaritas, lol, and these ones were 10/10. The tortilla chips probably aren’t for everyone’s taste because they’re not your typical ‘Tostitos’, but man, I loved them. The salsa too. I wish I got to ask more questions about the menu, recommendations, whether the salsa/chips are house made, etc, but I didn’t want to hold up the owner because she had the whole operation down to a science. I split a chicken quesadilla with my toddler, and my fiance had a burrito. SO good.

There’s clearly a lot of heart and soul within this business. We’ll...

I've been a regular at Catrinas since just after they opened, and everything I've had there has always been wonderful. I'm predominantly vegetarian, although I do eat seafood now and then, so their menu is perfectly suited to me. On my first visit (just after getting the coldest beer I've ever had in Florida), we ordered the Guacamole Catrinas, at the suggestion of Karol, one of the owners, who was tending the bar that afternoon. Loaded with fresh avocado, all the right ingredients, plus fresh shrimp & lobster (real lobster!) it was perfection in a molcajete, and I knew I was hooked! Just after our guacamole, chef Tisbeth, the other owner, came out from the kitchen. After a great chat about her food, food in general, and the great artwork on the walls (artwork, by the way, created by Tisbeth), we went on our way, already planning our next visit. I've tried many of the items on the menu since then, and have never been disappointed. From awesome tamales, to a seafood mole blanco enchiladas, chiles relleno, and some of the best ceviches I've ever had (the conch ceviche on special one night gave me one of the wildest, most fun hot pepper experiences I've ever had), I'm always impatient to go back for more (and I live 45 miles away). Food intensity ranges from delicately mild to spicily wild, the décor is eclectic, unique, and inviting, the staff is great, and Karol & Tisbeth treat you like a family member, not a number. The recent addition of Mexican craft beers and a full liquor bar have made a great place even better, as there will be top shelf tequilas available that match the quality of the food and atmosphere. If you haven't been to Catrinas..... GO. GO NOW. ...