Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia

For a classic institution in the El Mercado, it does not sit on its laurels as a well located venue in a tourist trap. The staff are welcoming and the food is awesome with generous portions. Beyond that, however, the ambiance is amazing- a burst of color in every direction, like being at a never ending fiesta. Also, the best Mexican Bakery I have been to outside of (or inside of?) Mexico!

Iconic! Service and atmosphere: The atmosphere and original Mexican decorations and influences is what makes this restaurant to standout. The interior is colourful and vibrant. This is very popular spot so waiting time will be on a longer side but it's worth the wait. Staff were polite but definitely looked overwhelmed by number of guests. Food and drinks: They offer traditional Mexican cuisine. The flavours were definitely there. I ordered steak which came with rice and refried beans. Steak was cooked medium rare which was great. Certain items like salsa served with chips tasted like a salsa from a jar. Also sangria is not made fresh, it is bought ready made. This wasn't a big deal for us. The restaurant offers freshly baked goods too so you can get some to go. Pricing: Affordable.

The service was fast, friendly, and helpful when we asked questions. The restaurant has a lot of decorations, it was fun to walk and look around. There's also option live music, they walk around and will ask if we want music. The food was good. The beef was tasty and juicy, but the pork was dry and a bit lacking in flavor. The tortillas were fresh and delicious. Make sure to visit the bakery. We only tried the pineapple empanadas, it was amazing. The other options also looked delicious.

When we walked in the atmosphere was fabolous! The decor was maximalist & we loved it! There was a 50 minute wait. Thankfully the markets made the 50 minute wait enjoyable! Once we were seated it took a while for the waitress to come to our table but it was busy! We ordered a small cheese dip & when the chips finally arrived it was one small salsa for four people which were not use to. During the whole visit we only got one more thing of chips which we had to ask for & only one refill of drinks which she returned with no straws. The food was really good. Our only complaint is the whole chips & salsa thing which is a big deal to us when eating at a Mexican restaurant and is the reason for 4 stars. For four people it was $101.21 then we also spend money buying sweet treats on our way out. We enjoyed it. The atmosphere is the best!

I recently revisited Mi Tierra after about five years, and unfortunately, it’s not the gem it used to be. I was really looking forward to their beef fajitas, but when my plate arrived, it had maybe four ounces of fajitas total, barely enough for one taco. For a $26 plate, that’s just not acceptable. My husband ordered quesadillas and asked if they could be made with corn tortillas. At first, the server said yes, but then came back saying the cooks refused to do it. For a Mexican restaurant, that’s a bit surprising. On a positive note, my son had the fish and chips, and those were actually pretty tasty. The portion sizes overall, though, just weren’t worth the price. My husband’s pork ribs were tasty but not grilled as advertised, they were baked. Mi Tierra has unfortunately gone downhill. It used to be a favorite, but now it feels more like a tourist trap that doesn’t live up to its past reputation. For the price we paid (about $100 for three people) the portions and the service just weren’t worth it. It’s a shame, but we probably won’t be returning anytime soon.