Cafe Poca Cosa

My husband and our 8 month old daughter and I wanted to enjoy dinner at Cafe Poca Cosa on a Wednesday night. We called ahead to make the reservation for ""4 and a baby"", since orginally my husband's parents were going to join us. While on our way, we called back to let them know that the reservation had changed and it would only be for 2 adults and a baby. During neither of these conversations over the phone was it mentioned that we should come prepared with our own seating for the baby since they do not provide high chairs. Not until we arrived (and in between phonecalls) did the hostess ask if we had a carseat or booster for the baby. Stunned and unsure how to respond, my husband went to the car to get the carseat. In the meantime, I asked the hostess if there would be a place to put the carseat once we were seated. She responded with something along the lines of ""not really, you can place her on the floor, I guess."" No Thanks. The hostess also informed me that many people come out to dine ""when they have a babysitter"". At that point we changed our mind about dining at Cafe Poca Cosa due to the blatent unwillingness to accomodate families with children. We would have appreciated them just being clear about not welcoming children when I had called...TWICE! \r \r The unsolicited parenting advice and poor service notwithstanding, the most offensive part of the experience is the managment's lack of guts to just say, ""we don't want kids at our reseraunt""! We are mature adults and have worked in the food service industry for ten years, and so understand that some places are not kid-friendly. We would never be offended by a place that openly doesn't allow children. But to discourage bringing children by being rude and implying their presence is unwelcome by lacking child seating is an offensive insult. \r \r Cafe Poca Cosa: Tell your patrons upfront that kids aren't allowed so they are not blindsided with it!!! Pros: Food was good three years ago...didn't try it this time Cons: Service and Friendliness were nonexistant, KIDS NOT WELCOME more

To impress my brother and sister-in-law from Vienna, Austria, we took them to Cafe Poca Cosa. There were 7 adults and my 3-year-old son. They asked if we had a reservation and I said, ""No, but is there room for us?"" They seated us within 5 minutes at a booth. I was happy about that; they seemed accomodating. The drinks were served promptly and soon the menu arrived. We ordered 2 Chicken Mole, the fish, 2 carne asadas, and one tamale pie. As she was taking the orders, when she got to my son she just said, ""And an extra plate for him."" After all the orders were taken I asked if the kitchen could make a quesadilla for my son. One word answer, ""No."" ???? They don't have tortillas and cheese in the kitchen? The food arrived about 25 minutes after we ordered. The presentation was beautiful; the salad looked like a bouquet of flowers. Unfortunately, eating it had a similar quality. A whole kale leaf, a slice of unbroken red cabbage, and the top of a pineapple? I like my salads to be SOMEWHAT easy to eat. The first bite of my tamale pie was WONDERFUL. It was green tamale with banana sauce. But since I received about a pound of the stuff, by the end it tasted bland and heavy. I would have preferred a smaller portion with a real edible salad. Then I would have been able to taste the beans and rice which came ""family style"" to the table, and I heard were really good. My husband could not praise his carne asada enough, and he loved the rice. My grandmother, who is from Mexico of Spanish descent, ordered the chicken mole, and said it was like a mole stew with a little chicken in it. She said for a good chicken mole the sauce accents and flavors the chicken, not drowns it. We saw the owner walking about to some of the tables, in fact, even the table next to ours. Why she did not want to give us salutations, I don't know. Overall, my impression was that I would not return again. Pros: Carne asada Cons: Attitude more

There must be MSG in the food. After I dined at Cafe Poca Cosa I was so ill and bloated, I usually only get this way after I eat food with MSG.\r I agree with a previous reviewer, the chicken and beef are just too rubbery-\r it must be sitting around for hours in a hot bath.\r The service lacks, and can't compare to when the owner had Poca Cosa at the old Santa Rita-\r the old service staff really had good connection with the customers and didn't sound like a used car salesman. I rarely get to Tucson, and am saddened that Cafe Poca Cosa has lost it's humble roots.\r The new place is modern and great.\r The owner should prepare her food differently. It just doesn't taste fresh. Pros: Nice, new digs. Cons: Servers are rude more

My husband and I arrived at around 2:00 (Saturday) for a late lunch. The moment we walked in the door we were greeted by one of the friendliest hostesses we have ever encountered! We decided to give this place a try based on the reviews we read of the food, even though some reviewers had complained of unfriendly service. We are glad we did. We could not have asked for a more pleasurable dining experience! Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and seemed happy to be working there. After she explained all the dishes, we both decided to have the ?chef?s choice? where the chef chooses three of the day?s dishes and you don?t know which ones you will get until it arrives. Everything on the menu sounded so good, we had no qualms about which entrees we would receive. It was all delicious. Even though we were starving, however, we still could not finish all of it. In retrospect we could have just split one dish and then maybe had room for dessert. The price seemed reasonable, just $14 per entree. The restaurant had a pretty decor and is stylish, but not stuffy or snooty. Parking was $2.00. The restaurant validates only after 6:00 p.m. more

I have to admit, they have great food, but that is almost immediately neutralized by the snooty staff and owner. I love Mexican food and had heard a lot about Cafe Poca Casa and wanted to try it. The first time I went with my whole family (daughter -8 son -6). I know that sometimes that can be inappropriate, but I went at 5:00 PM, which should still be doable. From the moment I walked in the door I could sense the unwelcome feeling. We were ushered to a table fed as quickly as possible and sent on our way. I decided to try it again without the kid factor with just my wife and myself. Once again, I felt that the staff was snooty and that I should be honored to be served by them. The hostess looked great, almost too great. She took a long time to give us any attention even though we had a reservation and nobody else was there. She seemed to find things to do throughout the restaurant to avoid helping us. Once again, the food was very good, but the experience and romanticism of the evening was ruined by the staff. Let me just say that I am a very presentable person and my wife as well with impeccable manners so appearance and dress was not the problem here. Just bad service and rude staff. Pros: Food Cons: Discourteous Staff more

Cafe Poca Cosa is one of the few places in Tucson where you can get a really flavorful and creative Mexican meal. We always order the Plato Poca Cosa which has 3 of the items from the ever-changing menu. The chef decides what will go on the plate, and that is part of the fun! The sauces are out of this world and portions are pretty generous. I like the way the food is served with the salad alongside the entree. Some people prefer it on a separate plate, but all of the flavors come together beautifully. If there is one Mexican place you should try in Tucson, let it be this one. There are so many others, but none that have the flavor, creativity, and ambiance of Cafe Poca Cosa. Call ahead to get reservations if you can. Otherwise, be prepared to wait. Families beware.....not kid-friendly. Makes a great place for a date! Pros: Ambience, especially outdoors on a nice evening; creative food; superb flavors Cons: Without a reservation you'll wait; not kid-friendly at all; the downtown location more

Over-Priced Peasant Food. Limited Menu, Good Service. Trying to be something that isn't Mexican. On the night that I dined there the menu had 4 chicken dishes, 4 beef dishes and only one seafood item. I don't know if there was a vegetarian item available or not? All the plates that I saw looked the same, entree served in a plate / bowl with salad greens. The rice, beans, salsa and corn tortillas served on the side. No cheese available. Good food but over priced. My meal was $24.86; cod entree & ice water. Good to impress a date, not a good dollar value. Pros: Ambience, Parking Valadition Cons: At the mercy of the chef's whim. more

This place has the kind of relaxed yet modern feel of which Tucson needs more. The bar is small but usually has room to grab one of many outstanding margaritas before you're seated. Be sure to make reservations though - this place is popular. I've been twice and tried about five or six different dishes (including the chef's selection which includes three different ones) and have enjoyed every one. Some dishes are a perfect execution of a traditional favorite while others are expertly crafted examples of the chef's creativity. In all cases the sauces are fantastic! Make reservations, arrive early to have a margarita at the bar and say hello to the friendly staff (Ellery is a sweetheart) and be prepared to pay a little more. It's not about value as much as quality. Enjoy! Pros: Delicious food, swanky decor, friendly and helpful staff, tasty drinks Cons: Seems like a fairly dead area of town, sometimes tough to get in more

Cafe Poca Cosa is serving some of the most innovative and thoughtfully prepared Mexican Cuisine north of the border. We visited twice on recent trip to Tucson and all the dishes we tried were prepared to perfection. Carne Asada with plums and chipotles, chicken breast with huitlacoche and roasted corn. The green corn tamale pie alone is worth the round trip ticket from San Francisco. The service far exceeds what I'm used to here in California. On our first visit our waitress, Connie, enthusiastically explained the entire menu in English and Spanish and made some great suggestions for our lunch. When we went the next evening Belinda was our waitress and she suggested the most amazing dessert wine that paired perfectly with the cinnamon laced flan. When the owner noticed we had returned a second time she came over and introduced herself and explained how she prepares the mole negro which I was cleaning off my plate with corn tortillas. All and all Poca Cosa was a highlight of our trip to AZ. Oh, and who cares if it's kid friendly. I'm sure Tucson has more restaurants with chicken fingers and crayons than it does chic sophisticated eateries like Cafe Poca Cosa. Pros: Unique, One of a kind Mexican Cuisine Cons: It's 900 miles away from my house more

A friend and I and our two toddlers wanted to grab a bite to eat, so we thought we'd try the new location. I called ahead to reserve a couple of high chairs and the hostess informed me they had none. Booster seats? Negative. Hmmm. Ok, we' thought we would let the kids eat in their strollers. When we arrived, this appeared to be a problem, as the host left us in the doorway for a few minutes before he sighed and sauntered off looking for a place to put us (in the not so busy restaurant) since strollers apparently are not allowed. We decided to scrap it, and just as we werre leaving the owner came out to tell us she could find us a spot in the back room, again reminding us that the strollers were a problem (she suggested we bring in our car seats!). After finally being seated our meal was more or less enjoyable, since we had the whole VIP room to ourselves (lest the children bother anyone), and our server was super nice. However, after the food came (relatively quickly) she pretty much forgot about us back there. The food was really only average as well. Definitely not worth the $20 (including tip) for one meal and a drink. Pros: Innovativre menu Cons: NOT kid friendly, snooty and rude service more

Poca Cosa before they moved was great. Now in their new digs not so much. The staff is ultra snooty, the food is really salty and tastes like it's been sitting there for hours. The menu is super innovative but who wants to eat reheated food. The new restaurant itself is very nice but the food needs to get back to what it was. Pros: close to downtown Cons: where do you start! more

With all the hype this was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. The server thought he was the coolest but nothing more than annoying. I ordered the the chefs choice plate and it tasted like a bunch of protiens covered in sauce that had been sitting in a steam table all night. And to top it off there was a salad sitting on top of my entree. Besides the horrible food and the tacky service the atmosphere was enjoyable. I would reccomend stopping in for a drink before a show but don't eat the food Pros: great decor and ambiance Cons: food and service more

My sister and I, along with our two children recently visited the newly located Cafe Poca Cosa. We were satisfied customers of the old Cafe Poca Cosa until today. We were greeted by an unpleasant hostess who replied with some resentment to our request for booster seats. She said they had two. Great. Before we could sit the owner approached our table to say that both booster seats were broke. We then asked to be seated at a booth. The owner informed us that her booths are made of leather and that wasn't an option for us. We decided to leave but not before the owner asked us to return when we had a babysitter. The food may be good but not worth the discrimination. Expect a whole new restaurant. Pros: Food Cons: Not family-friendly more

I'll start by saying the food is tremendously good, but... Ambiance is poor. My table was so low and my chair so high I couldn't get my legs under the table, and I am only 5'2"". The noise level was totally unacceptable, it is impossible to have any conversation with your dinner companions. Service is slow and rude, and I want a menu. I understand that your menu changes everyday, but really, type it up and xerox it. I don't want a chalkboard held up at my table, and then be asked what I want. I want to look at the menu at my leasure, and choose my meal. I had to ask three times for my second drink. Value for cost is about average. Too bad the restaurant doesn't live up to the food. Pros: Great food Cons: No menus, Noisy, Poor Service more

Our first restaurant on our arrival into Tucson for a short vacation. As it was 3pm, this was one of the few places that was open, and we're glad we went. Ate out in the beautiful courtyard and enjoyed wonderful authenitic food. Prices slightly high for entrees, but we would definitely go back Pros: food, courtyard, open between meals Cons: expensive more

HARD TO FIND.... Corner of Broadway and Scott atached Hotel. Loved the non-standard mexican food. Choices of Beef, Chicken, Fish and Vegetarian and sometimes pork. Ever changing menu. LOVED THE FLAVORS... Had to eat here twice during this trip. Also on the menu is CHEF's CHOICE, where the chef choses 3 items on the menu for you... NO WAY they will let you chose three, each one from a different group on the menu. I can not say enough how much I would recommend this restaurant if you love the mexican flavors but are tired of the standard mexican food. Average entree was just under $20. ($15-$19) Pros: GREAT FOOD, good parking, GREAT FOOD Cons: , slightly more $$$ more

If you want a burro or a taco do not go to Cafe Poca Cosa. If you want delicious inventive meal or to go out for a special occasion, go to Cafe Poca Cosa. The owner and chef is accessible, the staff wonderful. the atmosphere is fun and the food is amazing. Order the Chef's choice and enjoy a variety of meals along with a fresh delicous salad. Pros: Food, service more

ON Friday and Sat. nights it is so LOUD in the dining room you have to shout your order to your waitress. Our waitress said she is usually hoarse by the end of the night. I now go during off hours or at lunch, or sit outside. I literally could not hear the person across the table from me. Reserve a table outside! Pros: food, food, food more

After your first bite of chips and fresh salsa, you will know that you are in Mexican food Mecca. Everyone must come here at least once. The vinaigrette salad dressing is difficult to mix, but if you've got upper arm strength and can really shake it up and pour it fast, then you're in for a tangy treat. The chicken is at times rubbery, but the fresh and innovative sauces make up for it. With entree choices such as Chicken Mole with pumpkin seeds and pistachios, this menu would make anyone indecisive, which is why I recommend the Plato Poca Cosa. It is a 3 entree sampling of the chef's choosing. If you still have room for desert after the generous portion sizes, stay away from the uncharacteristically bad chocolate cake and stick with the delicious chocolate mousse. Although it is large enough to share, you won't want to. more

i have heard so many wonderful things about Cafe Poca Cosa, as well as experienced them myself. There have been times when I just went in there for a drink by myself to chat with chris the bartender, and other times with a large party in a limmo. The restaurant is so versatile for casual and fun gatherings! Pros: family oriented, historic downtown, handsome bartender more