Insider Pages Reviews for Casa Tina

1 Stars: Casa Tina is a dangerously bad restaurant (by jane s.)

jane s. — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:11:00 GMT

I just ate at Casa Tina. This restaurant prides itself on being for vegetarians. This is a dangerously bad restaurant. I am a vegetarian. I told this to the waiter. He said no problem. I ordered a vegetarian burrito. It came with beans and rice. But what arrived was a beef burrito and the beans and rice were made with animal fat. i have a beef allergy. i thought it was wierd...the burrito was cold. I ate a small amount of beans and rice and 2 bites of the burrito when i realized it was beef not vegetables. the burrito is covered so i would not have known right away. within 30 minutes i had chills, felt sick, wanted to vomit. the entire night i had stomach cramps. the next day i felt like a freight train had run over me. Never eat in this establishment...it is dangerous to your health if you are a vegan.

3 Stars: very popular! (by replew)

replew — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

A popular Mexican restuarant with authenic food. The decor is interesting with a definit Mexican flair. Good food and service makes for a good value. Bon Appetite!

5 Stars: Best Mex (by fooddieforsure)

fooddieforsure — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Let's see...Mole Poblano and Mole Verde, fresh pescados with varied sauces (my fav is the veracruzana), fresh cactus salad, chayotes stuffed with nuts,cilantro and garlic, posole soup and panela and chorizo tacos. I've been to Mexico( and I don't mean on a cruise to the American tourist towns of Cozumel and Cancun) numerous times and have found some of these dishes but never all of them on the same menu. Casa Tina's prepares all of these daily using fresh quality ingredients. Tina and Javier take great pride in their food and work the tables themselves mingling with the staff and customers to insure you a quality experience. I 'm very proud to have their business in our small town of Dunedin! Check out their new location featuring arts and crafts collected from various areas of Mexico..it's really amazing. Oh yeah, their new wine bar is way cool too! We spend almost ever Sunday night nursing a glass of wine, eating some tapas and chatting with Tina about her never ending plans. That girl doesn't stop. Hurray for us!

5 Stars: Best authentic Mexican Food in Tampa Bay Area (by Edward R.)

Edward R. — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:11:00 GMT

Casa Tina's is the BEST authentic Mexican in the area. It has been a family owned business for 17 years in the same location and has recently moved next door into larger quarters. The owners Tina and Javier Avila can always be found in the restaurant helping out and talking to the customers. They are two of the most involved restaurant owners I have ever met! The service from the wait staff is great and many of the staff has been employed at Tinas for years.

Venture out from the traditional tex-mex cuisine and try the real Mexican inspired sauces and dishes. Try the posole (hominy stew) or cactus salad for an appetizer. Then be sure to try one of the dishes with the authentic Mexican sauces - mole verde, mole poblano or salsa roja! If you like fish all of the fish dishes and sauces are wonderful. They now have a full bar and serve many South American drinks. Stop by for a cirque performance on the weekends.

1 Stars: Sorry folks, not impressed (by veronica1222)

veronica1222 — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

This has to be the worst mexican restaurant I have ever been to. I strongly feel that all the good reviews have to be from people that have not been to Mexico and had real mexican food (no offense to anyone). I make all kinds of margaritas, strong and weak. But their margaritas were so watered down. The ice had already melted because of the slow service. My friend, who LOVES queso, mine to be exact, was disgusted. There was oil sitting on top of the queso. It was so solidified you coudn't scoop out a small amount to put on the stale tortilla chips. The burritos were served like it was a Lean Cuisine flatbread dinner??? Even the wait staff was incredibly rude and slow. We had to ask for our bill twice, and then go to the hostess to ask her to get our waiter so we could get our bill. They weren't very busy when I was there, maybe it was just a bad night....who knows, but I don't want to try it again. It was the worst $50 I ever spent.
The only good thing about this place is location, location, location. My boyfriend would rather spend $50 at Taco Bell any day of the week.
Across the street is Alfresco's, very good. Or Jollie Mon's, about 3 blocks away, DELICIOUS, talk about good queso!

5 Stars: Exceptional Food, Warm Service and an Unbelievable New Atmosphere too! (by TheDunedinFoodCritic)

TheDunedinFoodCritic — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

For years I ate at Casa Tina and I always ate the same thing every time I went. The Mole Poblano was so rich with delectable sweet dark chocolate and then the spice from the peppers would kick in, it was a mouthgasmic experience that would make me sweat with pleasure. Now, however, I have learned much more about the offerings of my favorite cantina and I have learned to venture off in new directions. I have found that there are many, many exceptional items on the menu. Be adventurous, try something new!

5 Stars: Great mexican cuisine in a family friendly environment (by bronsemail)

bronsemail — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My wife and I have been going here for years and it is by far our favorite restaurant in town. Whenever anyone comes to visit we love to bring them here. The wait staff is very helpful and friendly! Tina, the owner, is usually in eye sight and working hands on to make sure you have the best dining experience possible. When you are seated you are given freshly cooked tortilla chips and an amazing fresh salsa that we usually buy a pint of to take home . The diverse menu should satisfy almost any group of people. I recommend the soft chicken or beef tacos which come with a side of Spanish rice and re-fried beans.

5 Stars: Excellent Mexican Food with the freshest of ingredients! (by Hovawart)

Hovawart — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Casa Tina came highly recommended to me to eat at while vacationing in the area. A HUGE fan of Mexican food, I was thrilled to see that everything on the menu is fresh and that none of the ingredients are pre-prepared. My partner has Celiac's which makes eating out a chore, and she was able to order off of the menu and feel confident that her selection would not cause a reaction.

We were very pleased with the chips and salsa, and the promptness with which our dinners were served. The first night we ate there, we both had enchiladas, and the different sauce selections were lovely. Having had such a nice experience, we went back a second time, and this time had the tacos, and the flutes (flautas). Once again, the food was hot and fresh and served very quickly.

Although several reviewers mention a problem with drink service, we had no problems in this department at all. In fact, the first night various servers kept refills coming, and the second night being Friday which was quite busy, we had no trouble getting our own servers attention when we needed something. We were also pleasantly surprised by the wine menu being wine drinkers, usually you do not find Mexican restaurants that have a nice wine selection.

Overall, if you are looking for a fresh, authentic meal, come to Casa Tina's, it is a great place to catch a terrific meal.

5 Stars: Best Mexican food in Pinellas County ... (by JamesInDunedin)

JamesInDunedin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My wife and I have been regulars at Casa Tinas for nearly 15 years. This is because the food is the best of its kind in the area -- by a long shot. While most Mexican restaurants use low-grade, processed ingredients, Casa Tinas always offers unique, delicious, and fresh fare. The service is excellent, as well. It stuns me to read negative reviews of this restaurant. Anyone that says that Casa Tinas has bad food belongs at Taco Bell -- not at a real restaurant. My wife and I will continue to be regulars at this excellent restaurant. And, as an aside, my wife and I love the expanded space and atmosphere that is the "new" Casa Tinas.

1 Stars: How this place stays in business is amazing (by Dunedindoll)

Dunedindoll — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I have lived all over the USA..I am a professional restaurant consultant
and used to be a major newpapers restaurant reviewer..
Never have I seen worse food or service.
obviously the owner just doesnt care and the location is good enough to
keep the suckers coming at least for one horrible meal..
SAVE YOUR MONEY..IF YOU ARE GOING TO EAT IN DOWNTOWN DUNEDIN GO ACROSS THE STREET TO ALFESCO.

2 Stars: good mole, bad service (by vgonzalez3)

vgonzalez3 — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I want to give this place a good review, I really do, I just can't . The good is it's very cute. They have great mole! Nice homemade tortillas too. The service here is awful!!! We've been here on 4 different occasions, each time was worse then the one before. One time we walked in and sat down while the staff talked & watched us and NEVER came to the table. I had to walk up to the staff and ask if there was a server on duty. When she did come out she was very short & curt and seemed as if it bothered her when we asked for extra tortillas. Drink refills will not happen here! We always order a drink and an appetizer to start and then another drink with dinner. Good luck on that!! Unfortunately we will no longer drive the 30 mins it takes to get here as the I can make better traditional mole at home and I dont care to give my money to rude servers.

1 Stars: Better food at taco bell (by thelefthanditch)

thelefthanditch — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Service was bad. What do you have to do to get a drink refill?! The food was poor.
nothing good to say about this place.

2 Stars: Over rated (by runman)

runman — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Having lived in the Dallas area for 13 years I had a chance to eat very Authentic Mexican food that was outstanding. After moving to Dunedin I was very pleased to hear about Casa Tina's, but very disappointed after I went there. I actually sent the first plate of food that was served to me back, stating that it wasn't tasty at all, but unfortunately the replacement serving wasn?t any better. Wanting to give them a second try, just this past March we took some friends there and their comments were that they didn't think the food was very good and the prices were high. Sorry I can't recommend this restaurant.

1 Stars: Awful Food and Uncaring Service!!! (by dcapal)

dcapal — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

We went to eat at this restaurant expecting authentic Mexican food and we were extremely disappointed. We ordered 'Pescado a la Veracruzana' and had to send it back because their 'fresh daily' fish was old, not fresh, and smelled bad! It tasted like it had been dead for a LONG time. We complained to the owner, who was very indifferent about it, and she asked if we wanted something else. So, we ordered the chicken mole. This turned out to be not real chicken, but fast food style mechanically seperated with fake grill marks, in a tastless sauce.

We also ordered crab-meat tacos. They were equally bad, made from what appeared and tasted of canned crab meat. Literally, it was canned crab meat on a cold tortilla.

Overall, a very horrible and disappointing evening meal. Would highly NOT RECOMMEND!

1 Stars: This place makes Taco Bell sounds so gourmet! (by mcol1706)

mcol1706 — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I don't know where to begin. This place brings bad name to mexican food/restaurant. Sure they put all the decorations to make it look ethnic enough so they have a reason to put a high price on the menu. The food that we ordered look like it's taken out from leftovers. It's neither good in presentation nor in taste. When I spilled a drink, the wait staff saw it and didn't even care to help out. I got totally wet and with no drink. We had to call the waitress several times to get her attention. They even charged for the extra plate of the chip and salsa. We left the restaurant feeling so hungry and dissapointed. No more trip to Casa Tina. I'd rather go to Taco Bell's if I have a crave for mexican food.

5 Stars: Worth the Drive Wonderful (by tampagirl10)

tampagirl10 — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I live in Tampa and we will drive there even though it is an good 45 minute drive from where we live. The food is always fresh with good portions. The staff is great, and they even take reservations which is great, even if you don't have them the wait is not that long. What is really nice afterwards you can always walk down toward the gulf. Nice small town atmosphere and shops.

5 Stars: Excellent Gourmet Mexican (by Kim S.)

Kim S. — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:08:00 GMT

This is the best Mexican food this side of the Gulf! The menu is diverse with offerings of seafood, meat and vegetarian. The sauces are terrific. The portions are generous. The prices are reasonable. The dining room is small and this is a popular place. Be prepared for a short wait. But the service is quick.

5 Stars: MUY BUENO!!!! (by whitepelican)

whitepelican — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Who would have thought that great tasting Mexican cuisine could be found in Pinellas County? Casa Tina is a wonderful place tucked away in downtown Dunedin.

When I choose a restaurant, I want a dining experience, not just someplace to eat. The decor is a combination of rustic and Mexican kitchy. It's very comfortable and you are not bombarded by flourescent lighting. The staff is wonderful and the place is clean as a whistle.

This is NOT the typical chain style Mexican food we are used to seeing. This is NOT Tex-Mex either but a wonderful combination of familiar foods to things we more than likely haven't yet tried. I am especially pleased with the "vegetarian" influence. The wait is minimal, food is freshly made and the ingredients appear to also be fresh. No canned food or microwave food here.

There are other places that try to use the same "formula" as Casa Tina but they fall far short of the desired result.

It's worth going just for the chips and salsa!!! As an added bonus, the price is right!! There's nothing that pleases me more than to support the small business owner - the "Mom and Pop's" that work hard to avoid extinction and offer another option to the larger establishments.

Whether for lunch or dinner, you will be pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. The ambience is wonderful. It is a lovely combination of intimate and cozy to something even the kids would enjoy. If there's a wait, so what! You have a lovely atmosphere in downtown Dunedin to enjoy while you wait.

5 Stars: Absolutely Authentic Mexican (by Mary F.)

Mary F. — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 13:08:00 GMT

Absolutely authentic Mexican. Their conqueso is made with 3 types of cheese and wonderfully seasoned, and rolled in tortes just as it should be. Their Sangria is the best Ive tasted. They are very reasonably priced considering they are gourmet. They have excellent service. Call ahead for a party of 7 or more.

5 Stars: YES! This is Mexican (by lucksky)

lucksky — Thu, 10 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

What this is NOT is Tex-Mex, which may be what the reviewer (dated 2/17/2005) who has lived in Arizona is used to. This is coasal Mexican using fresh ingredients. The salsa will make you ashamed to put jarred varieties in your mouth. The dishes we enjoyed at lunch were prepared with the perfect contrast of taste and texture. The Enchilada Verdes were tart and tasty. The mole verde and mole poblano sauces were perfect examples of what we have experienced in coastal Mexico. The mole poblano was a rich blend of sweet chocolate and spicy chilies. My favorite was the mole verde (a tart, spicy sauce) over chicken. We will eat there again, in fact, we are probably going tonight to try the "Un Poco de Todo"- a little bit of everything.
Side note- the cinamon in the home-made sangria really brings out all the flavors.

3 Stars: This is Mexican? (by morgan85)

morgan85 — Thu, 17 Feb 2005 01:00:00 GMT

Insipid Margaritas, tepid food, on the whole a very disappointing experience. Have sampled Mexican throughout the Southwest and Mexico - I lived in Arizona for 20 years - so am not a novice at Mexican cuisine. My four dining companions all agreed with my experience. On the positive side, the entrees did not appear to be microwaved.

5 Stars: Excellent (by ajbaker)

ajbaker — Wed, 09 Jun 2004 02:00:00 GMT

The restaurant was small and comfortable. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The cactus (nopalito) salad was wonderful and the mole sauce is the best I've ever tasted. We will return to this restaurant again and again.

5 Stars: Pleasant Surprise (by jreeseking)

jreeseking — Thu, 20 May 2004 02:00:00 GMT

Great atmosphere and food was delicious. Perfect break from the chain grind. Small intimate and service was quick and fun. Great touch and classy...for a mexican restaurant! If you like ambiance and food, this is your place.

5 Stars: Excellent little Gem in charming Dunedin (by afoster)

afoster — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

This place is fantastic!!!!
I have been going here since they first opened and prayed that they would get the recgonition they so well deserve.
You can't go wrong here and the sangria is the best!!!

5 Stars: Casa Tina's a 10! (by platoonstar)

platoonstar — Thu, 12 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

You have to experience Casa Tina. The atmosphere and staff are charming, and the food is fantastic. Kudos to Tina Marie and Javier!