This is the ABSOLUTE BEST Mexican restaurant in Cincinnati. Period.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Matthew Howe
Since moving from Orlando, we have struggled to find high-quality Mexican food that we can trust. My wife is gluten-free which informs our decisions of where we can eat. Cantina is a gluten-free kitchen, so everything is safe. The food was delicious and made with pride. We were too hungry for pictures this round but we will be back. We had the guac and queso (with chorizo), the tacos, and the shrimp dish. Each dish was worth coming back for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Guacamole, Queso Fundido, Tres Leches Cake, Baja Fish Tacos
Melissa R
This little artisanal restaurant is a hidden gem. My husband and I rolled the dice and showed up on a Saturday without reservations. We were seated right away and given the best service (thanks Brittany!). Our drinks were phenomenal and this is saying something because I'm NOT a fan of tequila, however, I can get on board with a good mezcal drink and sister they have them! The menu was gluten free which is great for my hubby and the food had FLAVOR! If you get the chance, check this cozy little spot out for sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meredith Ziskin
My family and I recently visited Cantina to celebrate my son's 22nd birthday. He was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease and he has missed eating Mexican food, his favorite. The experience we had at Cantina being a fully gluten free kitchen was amazing. The food was exceptional, the service was top notch and the atmosphere was perfect. To know that we could all order and share dishes with no concern of cross contamination was a relief. To see the look on my son's face to completely enjoy a meal out and love every bit was priceless. We will definitely be back, thank you to the team at Cantina to providing a safe gluten free environment, hopefully more restaurants will follow.
Food: 5
Olivia James
This was the best dining experience of my entire life. I have celiac disease and have never felt safer eating anywhere ever. It is an 100% gluten free kitchen. I even brought in my own dessert and the manager came over to make sure it was gluten free to ensure the restaurant never has had gluten in it. This sealed the deal for me. Seeing the thoroughness the staff made me never question my safety. I wanted to cry. The food was also wonderful, had so much flavor and options. The marg 13 was also amazing. I wish more restaurants would open like this. The manager and staff were wonderful. 10/10 am going back. No notes. Thank you for a life changing experience.
Food: 5
Blake
Everything about this place is amazing. The staff are amazing and the food is even better!
Erin Kroger
Great food, smelled a little smoky inside if you're sensitive to that, but the food and service are top notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Butter Rice
Drew Kluender
Food was awesome - got the carne asada. Fair pricing great service good food.
Top r restaurants I’ve been to in Cincy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kassidy
Foods amazing. Staff's amazing. Never disappoints. Best Mexican food in town!!! And 100% gluten free?? Are you kidding? Absolutely splendid.
Lacy
The food was fantastic- fresh and hit all the flavor notes! Crisp margs too. I appreciated how welcoming and friendly the staff were. They made sure we had everything we needed and checked in. Highly recommend Cantina. We can't wait to go back!
Great food and drinks. Wonderful service. New location is lovely (although loud). Love that it is gluten free!!!
Calvin Clark
Ambiance, music and vibe are all sensational here! Housemade tortillas, well marinated meats and phenomenal service are what you will find here. Stop in for a authentic taste and service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Mole
Cristina Reina
My husband and I tried the Baja Fish Taco, Suadero Taco, Lamb Barbacoa Taco, and Sweet Potato Taco, with a side of butter rice and black beans, and for dessert we had the flan. Everything was really tasty — authentically Mexican while not being overly spicy. The salsa macha was a great surprise: smoky and slightly hot. The flan was light, smooth, and the consistency was on point — not too soft and not too firm. The ambience is modern and alive, and the service is truly beyond expectations. We were so excited to dive in that we completely forgot to take pictures — the food looked that good. We’ll definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Little
There is a review here about how there is a lot of competition in downtown and OTR for great dining, and that is how I would describe this place. Wanted a steak knife to cut the carnitas, which is just strange. However, it was just not cooked properly. The server either forgot to put in the dinner order, or perhaps there was a problem finishing the carnitas, but there was a weird, 40 minute wait between getting and appetizer and entrées. Weird because it wasn't particularly busy, and tables around us were being served, and leaving, between the time we ordered and served. I get it, but at this level (price) of dining you expect some type of acknowledgement of this (there wasn't). Also, food is truly mid. Mushy rice? Unfortunately, with the strong competition, this is just a pass. I get it, didn't Flacco eat here? But just like the Bengal's recent performance, this place misses the mark.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Alex
Carlie was fantastic. Michael Helped us move tables to a quieter one because of the noise level. Great food!
This is the ABSOLUTE BEST Mexican restaurant in Cincinnati. Period.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Since moving from Orlando, we have struggled to find high-quality Mexican food that we can trust. My wife is gluten-free which informs our decisions of where we can eat. Cantina is a gluten-free kitchen, so everything is safe. The food was delicious and made with pride. We were too hungry for pictures this round but we will be back. We had the guac and queso (with chorizo), the tacos, and the shrimp dish. Each dish was worth coming back for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Guacamole, Queso Fundido, Tres Leches Cake, Baja Fish Tacos
This little artisanal restaurant is a hidden gem. My husband and I rolled the dice and showed up on a Saturday without reservations. We were seated right away and given the best service (thanks Brittany!). Our drinks were phenomenal and this is saying something because I'm NOT a fan of tequila, however, I can get on board with a good mezcal drink and sister they have them! The menu was gluten free which is great for my hubby and the food had FLAVOR! If you get the chance, check this cozy little spot out for sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My family and I recently visited Cantina to celebrate my son's 22nd birthday. He was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease and he has missed eating Mexican food, his favorite. The experience we had at Cantina being a fully gluten free kitchen was amazing. The food was exceptional, the service was top notch and the atmosphere was perfect. To know that we could all order and share dishes with no concern of cross contamination was a relief. To see the look on my son's face to completely enjoy a meal out and love every bit was priceless. We will definitely be back, thank you to the team at Cantina to providing a safe gluten free environment, hopefully more restaurants will follow.
Food: 5
This was the best dining experience of my entire life. I have celiac disease and have never felt safer eating anywhere ever. It is an 100% gluten free kitchen. I even brought in my own dessert and the manager came over to make sure it was gluten free to ensure the restaurant never has had gluten in it. This sealed the deal for me. Seeing the thoroughness the staff made me never question my safety. I wanted to cry. The food was also wonderful, had so much flavor and options. The marg 13 was also amazing. I wish more restaurants would open like this. The manager and staff were wonderful. 10/10 am going back. No notes. Thank you for a life changing experience.
Food: 5
Everything about this place is amazing. The staff are amazing and the food is even better!
Great food, smelled a little smoky inside if you're sensitive to that, but the food and service are top notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Butter Rice
Food was awesome - got the carne asada. Fair pricing great service good food.
Top r restaurants I’ve been to in Cincy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Foods amazing. Staff's amazing. Never disappoints. Best Mexican food in town!!! And 100% gluten free?? Are you kidding? Absolutely splendid.
The food was fantastic- fresh and hit all the flavor notes! Crisp margs too. I appreciated how welcoming and friendly the staff were. They made sure we had everything we needed and checked in. Highly recommend Cantina. We can't wait to go back!
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food and drinks. Wonderful service. New location is lovely (although loud). Love that it is gluten free!!!
Ambiance, music and vibe are all sensational here! Housemade tortillas, well marinated meats and phenomenal service are what you will find here. Stop in for a authentic taste and service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Mole
My husband and I tried the Baja Fish Taco, Suadero Taco, Lamb Barbacoa Taco, and Sweet Potato Taco, with a side of butter rice and black beans, and for dessert we had the flan. Everything was really tasty — authentically Mexican while not being overly spicy. The salsa macha was a great surprise: smoky and slightly hot. The flan was light, smooth, and the consistency was on point — not too soft and not too firm. The ambience is modern and alive, and the service is truly beyond expectations. We were so excited to dive in that we completely forgot to take pictures — the food looked that good. We’ll definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
There is a review here about how there is a lot of competition in downtown and OTR for great dining, and that is how I would describe this place. Wanted a steak knife to cut the carnitas, which is just strange. However, it was just not cooked properly. The server either forgot to put in the dinner order, or perhaps there was a problem finishing the carnitas, but there was a weird, 40 minute wait between getting and appetizer and entrées. Weird because it wasn't particularly busy, and tables around us were being served, and leaving, between the time we ordered and served. I get it, but at this level (price) of dining you expect some type of acknowledgement of this (there wasn't). Also, food is truly mid. Mushy rice? Unfortunately, with the strong competition, this is just a pass. I get it, didn't Flacco eat here? But just like the Bengal's recent performance, this place misses the mark.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Carlie was fantastic. Michael Helped us move tables to a quieter one because of the noise level. Great food!
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