10/19/09

Not a Taco Bell

by richard seidel

Casa Tina, is a great place to dine, the staff is friendly, great bar, outside and indoor dining. . I am not a authority on Mexican Food, but every time we have dined the dinner has been delicious. This is a great place to bring your elderly parents. Easy access. Great place to come on a Saturday afternoon.

09/20/09

Authentic, Healthy Mexican Food in Dunedin!

by unorabbit

We went to Casa Tina’s last night and had a great experience – as always. Our server was Alejandro, who was attentive, fun and made sure that we always had a drink or food in front of us. We started with the fabulous Pisco Sour – which can only be described as heavenly. The Pisco Sour, invented in Peru around 1900, is an intoxicating blend of grape brandy, fresh lime juice, egg whites and a sugar rim – blended into a creamy, frothy, limey drink. We had the posole – a spicy, rich chicken stew simmered with hominy, ancho chili and condiments and the black bean soup – Tina’s thick version with cilantro, roasted jalapeno and a side of onion and chorizo. For our main courses we had the spectacular fish tacos ensanada – a traditional taco with grilled fish, cabbage, cilantro and their delectable sauces and the juicy & delicious Carnitas – seasoned pieces of roasted & fried pork served with onion, cilantro, jalapeno salsa & corn tortillas. The restaurant décor is authentic and much of it was brought back from Mexico. The staff is friendly, efficient and always ready to do anything they can to make your experience one to remember.

• Pros: Food, prices, servers and Pisco Sours

09/05/09

Dangerously Bad Restaurant

by shadowtr

I am a vegetarian. i explained this to the waiter. he said he could handle that, no problem. I ordered a vegetarian burrito. it came with rice and beans. what came to me was a beef burrito and the beans and rice had some kind of animal fat mixed in. the burrito was cold. obviously had been sitting.

i got deathly ill from eating in this restaurant, diarreha, stomp cramps, chills, etc. if they cannot provide vegetarian food then they should state that, not say they can and harm the patrons. we will never go back to that establishment again. we advise others to stay away.

08/17/09

Not what I had hoped

by Wendyoh

I found this place on a Dog-Friendly Tampa google..... I was VERY excited, I read their menu, loved the webpage and stoked about the whole idea of authentic Mexican food. We drove almost an hour to get to Dunedin and it poured down rain while we were there. Keeping in mind that we only ordered cerviche to split (our appitite timing was off), I have to say I was not wowed. The cerviche was bland, we couldn't squeeze enough limes in it, and it consisted of all fish. no shrimp or scollops, just what I think was Talapia. The fish was grainy and left a fishy after taste. Only the first basket of chip was offered, we ran out of chips before cerviche. Good points...the outdoor patio was clean and comfortable, the beers were cold and fair priced, the service was VERY GOOD. Our server was friendly and efficient. I will go back to Dunedin, to explore and eat... I will try Casa Tina's again for a full meal experience, I won't have my hopes so high.

• Pros: Location
• Cons: bland cerviche

02/22/09

very popular!

by replew

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!

• Pros: mexican ambience

08/31/08

Best Mex

by fooddieforsure

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!

• Pros: Cool Ambience, Great Food, Veggie Options
• Cons: Parking Downtown

05/11/08

Sorry folks, not impressed

by veronica1222

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!

• Pros: location location location
• Cons: terrible service, terrible food

04/17/08

Exceptional Food, Warm Service and an Unbelievable New Atmosphere too!

by TheDunedinFoodCritic

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!

04/12/08

Great mexican cuisine in a family friendly environment

by bronsemail

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.

• Pros: love the extra room in the new building

04/11/08

Best Mexican food in Pinellas County ...

by JamesInDunedin

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.