La Bamba | Mexican Restaurant in Richmond

Theyre a scam..Its not even authentic mexican. They work and answer when they want and will take your money whether the food is made or not.0/5

Its very good food, drinks, very good atmosphere.

Maybe drinks on a busy weekend.... ?????

First, The customer service was great. The menu is complex, so the person at the register explained some options and helped us pick tacos that are not too spicy (some are). Second I tried the gringo taco for $5 and carne asada taco ($4). First was tasty but greasy (with all the trimmings), second was small but tasty. Third, the ahi tuna tacos and ceviche were highly recommended by my friend. Just watch out for spicy ones and grease levels and I recommend! Parking: Parking is great.

More than I couldve asked for and 20 years in the business July 13th. Ill be back!

Amazing food, wonderful service, and incredible prices! This was my first time visiting and I will absolutely be back. I give it an easy 5 stars!

I will neverorder Qusoidas if it isnt coming from LabBamba

The food was delicious! Our server was so friendly and kind. Great place with great atmosphere.

Great food !! armondo had great service

The food was good... the service was horrible I asked for 2 coffies and the sever looked visible annoyed. Food

Came in late was still greeted and was sat down and ordered our food and drinks came out right away food was well seasoned and portioned the owner is very kind would definitely recommend

Came here on national margarita day and the restaurant was fairly empty, shoulda taken the hint. I never got water the tacos were soggy and the cashier/waiter tried to charge me $10 more than I owed without letting me see a recipe before paying.

Great food friendly staff which isnt often in that area. Will be going again next visit. Vegetarian options: Love the peppers and onions Great flavors.

Awful took me 10 mins to sit and never was waited on

Seriously the best Mexican food Ive ever had.

The tamales were delicious!

Food was good, but not worth the price

We stopped in on a cold, snowy day and were immediately greeted with warm, welcoming smiles. Having celiac, I felt genuinely considered as the owner brought me heated corn tortiallas to enjoy instead of the chips from a shared fryer. His kindness, care, and humor (ask for La Bamba water!!) paired with our delicious appetizers (queso) and entrées (tamales, tacos) created an exceptional dining experience! Will return to support this beautiful family business.

This place is amazing!

If you re looking for the best Mexican food in Richmond, you will find it at La Bamba. We ve been several times and are always guaranteed some amazing food. The menu is pretty extensive with your standard Mexican fare plus even more, also they have LOTS of vegetarian options. The piña coladas always come out perfect and pair well with their house made guacamole. We always have the same waitress and she is always so kind. Please pay a visit to this local restaurant when in the neighborhood and you will not be disappointed.

My friend bit into her burrito and looked and almost at a cockroach. They still made us pay for drinks and chips and salsa.

Great authentic Mexican food spot. Would definitely recommend if you re hungry.

Great service and food.

Food was good but hard to find parking if there busy

Great food. Worth the stop.

Felt very authentic and looked the part too. The service was amazing, she was very sweet. My only complaint would be the food/price. The food was good but nowhere near what we expected to pay for the quality of it.

Small language barrier, decent food, weak alcoholic drinks. Margarita was mostly mix

We got there on a Tuesday evening. It must have been close to opening time, it took a while for our orders to be taken, but once the order was made, the food came out muy pronto. And the food was great. The Carne Asada tacos were delicious, as were the rice & beans sides. Of special note, the salsa that was served with the tortilla chips was fantastic.

My partner and I dont eat here very much anymore. A few months ago we came in on a slow night in the middle of the week several hours before closing time, and the manager was rude and over charged us for the food. The waiting staff is polite and attentive, but who I assume may have been the owner of the restaurant was not.

Delicious and authentic, and super friendly.

Food is just OK. Not impressed. Drink was watered down.

DO NOT PATRONIZE THIS PLACE!!! When visiting this area of Richmond, I decided to get takeout from this place. MISTAKE!!! Quick recap - there were just 3 customers, all seated and already eating. My order was taken by an older woman with salt/pepper hair pulled back from her scowling face. Yes, she was literally scowling, I am not taking shots. Due to the language barrier she was not helpful in answering my questions regarding their offerings. As a result, I digressed and ordered from the Sides menu, a chicken quesadilla at $3.25 and a fountain drink at $2.75. The after tax total she gave me was $7.99. That seemed a little high to me so I requested to see the itemized bill. She told me they do not have them. I knew this was untrue but, I wanted to see where this went. So, I asked how much they charged for meals tax. After taking a moment to chat with her co-worker, she told the waitress to tell me it was 13.5%. Once again, I knew this was incorrect because it did not align with the total bill and I know meals tax in VA is not that high. [I quickly realized she was trying to up-charge me, because their minimum debit card purchase is $6 and for whatever reason she wanted the bill to be higher.] I continued to inquire about the total, reiterating that the amount was incorrect. After about 3 minutes or so of her hemming and hawing, and flipping out in her native tongue, the waitress finally told me that the first woman, took it upon herself to charge me $7.00 for the items I ordered and then added tax to that. First, I was shocked they admitted that and then I was shocked because they acted as if they have the right to do something like that. I started to go in and fling the terms false advertising, fraud and law-breaking but, opted to rescind the order and vacate the premises never to return again.

Rude make you feel uncomfortable food is not worth the wait or money

Best Mexican in Richmond, hands down. Nothing fancy, just good authentic Mexican.

$1.99 taco Thursdays! A wonderful authentic family business! Delicious food that accompanies an at-home hospitality!!

La Bamba is the quintessential small family run Mexican restaurant thats been around forever and knows their food. Ive been dining here for close to 20 years. Not once in that time have I ever had a bad dish or left hungry. The decor is lively but still has hole-in-the-wall charm. If you want good food, this is your place to go.

Very good food, Id recommend the Chori Pollo, server was very engaged checked on me very frequently.

I visited this establishment today right before heading out of town. I frequent the area a lot but this was my first time visiting this specific restaurant. For what I paid, the food was fresh, well seasoned, and cooked to order. The portions were also very nice! I will definitely be returning

Definitely a joint - where you come for food, not ambience. Extensive menu, hearty portions and kind prices. English is a second language here. Service and meal preparation are prompt. The food comes hot to the table but the shredded lettuce is crisp, the tomatoes locally sourced and the Mexican rice features individual grains (not scooped from a pot in one gloppy mess). I would certainly eat here again.

Got chicken tacos which were pretty good- I would come back here for them. Also each meal comes with chips and salsa which were fresh and also good. My only issue was that I got a pina colada which was clearly artificially flavored and overly sweet.

I usually love dive Mexican joints but not when theyre unclean. Yikes. There wasnt even a toilet seat on the toilet in the womens restroom. It was broken off and sitting next to the toilet. We ordered our food but after seeing this, theres no way I could eat there. The server may have been an owner on a power trip telling me I was rude for leaving before my food was ready. The margaritas were all sour mix. I wouldnt even bother.

Terrible Rude service. I came in this establishment and spent $40 on An order of tacos and Rice and chicken. I was told sour cream and cheese came with the tacos when I ordered. When the food was ready and I came back it was a different man at the counter. I noticed the lack of Sour cream for my tacos I ordered. I was told multiple times that sour cream is a side and that I needed to pay $1.50 and the man was very rude and kept going back and forth on why Sour cream is a side and does not come with the tacos. He even said that whoever told me the sour cream came with the tacos, will get the $1.50 taken out of their check. Very unprofessional. The man at the register just kept going back and forth being rude to me. He ended up giving me the sour cream in the end when he couldve just had good customer service from the beginning.

I went to La Bamba with my boyfriend Reilly and my friend Matt for a fun night out. We were greeted by a friendly server who spoke in a mix of Spanish and English, which made us feel like we were in a real Mexican restaurant. He convinced us to order some guacamole, which we agreed to. However, when he brought it out, it was actually queso blanco. We didn t mention the mistake, because we didn t want to cause a fuss. We still ate the queso blanco, which was a nice dip for chips and tortillas. We ordered the chori pollo, the pick three, and a standard margarita. The chori pollo was a huge plate of grilled chicken, chorizo, cheese, and rice. It was very tasty and filling, and both me and Matt enjoyed it. The pick three was a good deal, as Reilly got to choose a cheese quesadilla, a shredded chicken taco, and a beef burrito. He said they were all good, but nothing to write home about. The standard margarita was standard fare, not too strong or too sweet. The service was fast and attentive, and the atmosphere was lively and colorful. We had a good time at La Bamba, and we would go back again. It was not the best Mexican food we ever had, but it was a decent 4 out of 5 experience. One fun fact we discovered was that the men s bathroom is also the closet where they keep their mop. It has a wall between the sink and the mop, so it kinda looks like they are trying to hide it but it s not working. It was a bit weird and funny to see that. Maybe they should find a better place for their cleaning supplies.

Food, drinks, Everything was just Nasty if you like good food I wouldn t Recommend goin here.

A good variety of vegetarian options and prices were reasonable. Food was well seasoned and fresh, guacamole was yummy, and even the free table salsa was nice and spicy!

Fabulous experience. Lots of vegetarian options too.

Great prices and good food. Love the lunch specials.

They made me feel right at home. The food was served fast. And it was right. Will definitely eat there again. It you are in Downtown Richmond....

Solid food, good service

The best authentic Mexican food I have ever had, I feel like someone s abuela is in the kitchen personally hand making everything. I especially love the flan, queso, salsa, and shrimp quesadillas . Very home-like feeling dining in. Friendly staff and EXTREMELY affordable. Very low prices. I m always amazed when me and my wife can eat meals and dessert with a drink for $20.

Great place to stop in and grab great NY style hotdogs.

The food is always amazing! If youre one of those VA suburbanites that believes you need the abomination that is white sauce (a Virginia invention) dont come. La Bambas is authentic Mexican food made by a family from Morelos. The Mole is to DIE FOR. The queso, guac and salsa are addictively delicious.

Great food and service!

Hidden gem of a Mexican restaurant. Has some of the best salsa in greater Richmond

Delicious and authentic Mexican food

This is our regular lunch spot. The food is delicious and the people are wonderful. I can eat here every day!

Food is ok, nothing special, nothing bad by any means. Definitely don t order online or your order is actually placed when you show up, and then they get upset with ya for not calling ahead as well so call ahead or just eat there.

The most homey, delicious Mexican style food I ve had in RVA!! I love this place SO much!

This place is me and my boyfriends favorite place to go in Richmond. Well-priced, delicious, and the owners are lovely!

Food is GOOD, fresh, authentic Mexican food. Super friendly service. I will definitely be back!

Really good food for the price, pretty much my go to for lunch when Im working in the area. Vegetarian options: Nearly 2 dozen opinions for vegetarians and they dont phone it in. Really good food!

Friendly service, very welcoming, and great food too

This place has some of the friendliest service, and has delicious good as well. Would definitely return and eat here again

Drinks kinda of strong

It was really hot inside, the chips and salsa were great, horchata great, but my enchiladas were okay. Not the best.

Amazing local business, great value and friendly service. I echo the comment that someone s (very talented) abeula is cooking this food (because it s really good)!

Our server was beyond awesome and the food was magnificent. This is the best Mexican food restaurant that I have found in Richmond. This hidden gem is my new go to for a Mexican meal.

This is a very authentic Mexican restaurant. The servers are really nice and sweet. The food was delicious and tasted fresh. There is an upcharge for anything additional that you might want. And the Margaritas arent strong. Youre better off getting a few shots.

Very alright . No drink menu (which is probably so they can get away with charging 10$ for a very subpar margarita ) . The food was okay , nothing standout, not bad but not great . Chips , 2 (cheaper ) entrees , a tacate and a marg was like 50 bucks ? A bit steep for what was essentially Guadalajara quality . If you re looking for food and drinks there s better for less in the area .

DO NOT EAT HERE!!!! Went here with my boyfriend and friends around 8 oclock at night . The food was good but the owner up charged us on every item we got because they got the order wrong (the waitress didnt speak English well) . When we confronted him about the menu and the HUGE bill he said the me hes were old and they had upped there prices (no where on the menus did it say this... like not even a sharpie mark telling us). The guy didnt like us because his waitress messed everyones order except for my boyfriend thank god my boyfriend covered the bill because we wouldnt be able to pay separately. Every menu was the same he literally up charged us. Im reporting him to the better business bureau because this is outrageous I have never been scammed like this in my life. I have also never been to a restaurant in my life where the prices on the menu were different than the actual prices. Also how does he know what the prices are if they not menu because there at least 40 or 50 items on that menu.

I order my food and they brought it to me and I started to eat it then it wasn t made right so told the guy about and all the guy said was the customer is right

Fairly priced, large portions!

Our waitress was so kind and very attentive great quality food too.

I was out from New York looking for good food and thats what I found. Very authentic and cooked to profession Amazing service as well Wheelchair accessibility: Easy access to Building

Amazing food good prices

Great food.

Our work treated us to a lunch out today. We were a 7 top and both servers were so efficient and sweet. It was pretty busy for lunch but they were lovely and despite all of us, everything came out in order and we were all given refills, more chips promptly. I got the veggie taco salad it was really good but I might ask for extra beans next time. Thank you all!

Good salsa an cheese dip

This is a great family Mexican restaurant in Shockhoe bottom. I usually come here for lunch during the workweek or weekend when Im walking around. They have a good vegetarian menu with variety, and the food comes out quick and tasty.

Best salsa I ve had in RVA.

The 3 amigos is delicious

Im not sure how this place has an average 4.2 star review when it deserves 2, tops. Its a hole in the wall Mexican joint that makes up its own prices when its time to deliver the check. Theres no way 2 lunch special fajitas and 2 margaritas should come out to 40.00 but the waitress acted like she didnt speak English and I didnt have the patience to argue with her. A few other notes: the drink prices arent listed on the menu, there is no patio all though they advertise one and theres a mudroom in the mens bathroom with all of their cleaning tools just hanging from the walls next to the toilet. I think my new rule of thumb for grading a restaurant is to make a bee line for the bathroom, see if its disgusting and go from there. Thanks amigos!

This restaurant offers the best food and prices against its competition. I tried 3 restaurants located on the same corner and La Bamba is a runaway. Food is absolutely delicious and the servers are really nice. Wait time is nonexistent. Service, vibes, food all worth the visit

This place is amazing! Easily one of the best restaurants in Richmond. Great food, awesome atmosphere, and phenomenal service. I would definitely recommend going here.

The older gentleman is so sweet! The food and drinks are a great bonus to his wonderful service.

Bad service, Im not Mexican and I told the waitress to give me Pico de Gallo and she gave me the worst, so much so that I couldnt continue eating

The ladies are all so nice and the food is fast and delicious.

Good and spicy

Really poor quality food, definitely not traditional Mexican, and for some reason my check was several dollars more than the menu price + tax (and it was already way too expensive for what it is!). A veggie burrito literally filled with nothing but green peppers and onions. Red sauce tastes like ketchup. Reviewers who give this anything more than 3 stars are drunk.

Good Mexican food for Richmond

Food sucks & Service

Food was so low quality. I m confused how my enchiladas ended up being so dry. I gave this restaurant two chances and both times it was beyond disappointing.

Stopped by on our drive down from Washington DC. Right off I95 and great food! Server was very professional and food was well priced. Will return on future road trips.

If I lived closer I might go more, nothing wrong with the place but not worth driving in from the West End. Service was disorganized but friendly but it was a holiday. Small place with booths that allow for some privacy even when its busy.

Small mexican restaurant with good prices and food. Will definitely be back.

Great spot for cheap eats. Amazing salsa. Dont be shy if its not crowded, we had the place to ourselves and had amazing service. Sleeper spot in the bottom.

Starting with their service, they are very warm kind people, I past by when I was coming back from New York to Florida, and I highly recommend this restaurant. The food is delicious and made from scratch from their kitchen to your table. Honestly, its not common to receive this warning welcome at other restaurants.

This place is gross. Super dirty and smelly on the inside and out. Really tiny as well. Food was really salty and mediocre.

Great food, very accommodating experience.

Guacamole and fresh chips were great! I got the steak quesadilla and my bf got the fajitas Texacana. Everything was delicious! Service was kinda slow, but nothing that would stop us from coming back.

Just eat there

Good $1.00 tacos on Tuesdays & Thursdays!

The food was disgusting. The taco salad soggy and gross and the ground beef smelled alot like dog food. Then they didnt even cut my tomato. They simply slapped a whole slice on top like an after thought. Never again. There is no way that their ratings are accurate.

Such a bitter owner! Too many rules about what i could and couldnt order. Owner became argumenative. Got mad at me because i aked for cilantro. he then says... it doesnt come with cilantro!! ok but can i have some. dude made me pay extra for cilantro. thats like paying for salt. unbelievable. bad experiene all around.. margarita wasnt even good. STAY AWAY !! Owner is not a pleasant person.

Best Mexican food I have had in a very long time. Maybe the best Mexican food I have ever had. I had Chimichangas friend got tacos and chimichangas. Service was good. I only wish they had air conditioning or fans circulating air. The food was so good I still have 5 stars. Highly recommend this place!!!!!!

Food was great. Server was nice and the food came out fast. So much to choose from.

Ehh. The best thing about this place is the prices. The food wasnt great.

Very good food and very friendly workers, a fantastic experience

went to this place about a month ago and the food was not that bad, very average mexican food. the day I went I noticed an ad on the outside of the restaurant that said taco Thursday s, tacos for only $1 . Yesterday was Thursday and I was thinking about getting tacos and remembered the sign. I went ahead and called and said I wanted to place an order for 3 chorizo tacos. I am not sure who picked up the phone but they started laughing and said nice try, chorizo tacos are 3.50 a piece and that special only applies to hard shell beef or chicken tacos in the most rude way possible. I apologized and told them I was not aware of that and all they kept saying was that was a good try nice try as if I was trying to scam them or something. I was actually going to tell them that it was fine the tacos were 3.50 and that I wanted them anyways but the guy literally would not let me speak basically claiming I was scamming him. I literally hung up in the middle of him speaking because he would not shut up about my nice try by far the most awkward and worst experience I ve ever had trying to place an order.

Very good food

A warm and cozy place with authentic Mexican food. The server/hostess is always pleasant, courteous and attentive. The owner is personable and very appreciative of his patrons AND they remember their customers. I have no complaints about this restaurant. Its a gem and I plan to visit it often!

Very reasonable and tasty lunch specials! I had beef fajitas!

Food is very poggers

I don t really post reviews but this place is AMAZING!! The lady there is the sweetest and the salsa is AMAZING!! The food is affordable and everyone is so nice. I m surprised it doesn t have 5 stars

I ate at this place last night and order the nachos and they were so yummy and fresh, Thanks! It was a great order and great ingredients so thanks. Five stars for me and I will be back.

I swear to God I love this place

Warm and loving. Customer FRIENDLY. EXCELLENT!! The food is of the best! The best in the area!!!

Good food, good prices.

Very friendly staff. The food and beverages are cheap. The food is nice in proportion and flavor. The seats are fabric and have stains they should be cleaned or changed.

Go try out 1 dollar taco night on Thursdays

Bad aspects bad attention

been coming here for 15 years, absolutely love the owner, Armando and his food ! great atmosphere, excellent prices and fine service .. i highly recommend this place to get your Mexican food fix, right in the heart of historic downtown Richmond

Excellent food. Fast service.

Great hole in the wall Mexican joint. Nothing fancy, no frills, just your standard Mexican dishes, but very well done.

The staff was attentive and the food was authentic and delicious!

Excellent food great service!!!!

fresh food, amazing staff, amazing prices. recommend ALWAYS

The food was delicious

Small, quaint- would like more sauce variety

Great food for a low price.

Food was good.

Very bad 2 tacos and a soda more than 10 dollars

Food was perfect

Always great, quality just gets better

Food was very tasty! Service was AWESOME! Thank you! Will frequent this establishment!

Food was great. Overcharged for my food. I initially was to order online. Did not want to pay surcharges so I went to order and pick up in person. I was over charged compared to the online order and was asked to tip as well before he sent back my order. Idk whats that all about wont be coming back. Found a new authentic place. Good bye

It can improve. The food is not worth the price

Prices are significantly different than prices posted on their online menus. By like $8 additional dollars on an $11 order online, even after I showed the posted prices. Have eaten here before, food is good. Hence the two stars. Ended up just going to Chicano s. What you see is what you get there.

I ve been to many Mexican restaurants but La Bamba is the best tasting so far from the chips and dips to the main course. Very friendly too. 2 thumbs up

delicious margs!

We love La Bamba!! The people who work here are such great members of this community. Help keep them afloat during COVID!!

The waitress was very prompt with the food and drinks, and made good conversation! Food was delicious.

Who charges 4$ for a small bag of chips and 7$ for two of those small plastic containers that usually houses sour cream to go? Not the best, but the staff has always been friendly and it s local and convenient

Mixed chicken & steak fajita

My go to stop for tacos and Tequila!

Great food and drinks!!!

Drinks sucked never again. Tacos were nasty

Dollar taco Thursday... you get what you pay for

Lots of tasty food for a great price. My coworkers and I order from here multiple times a week!

Very bad experience today! Owner demanding tip, when service dosent deserves it. Last time there!! NOT good service, DONT recommend!

Great tamales and mexican taquitos And shrimp cocktail And great service

Always prompt service!

Horrible drinks and they make up there own prices when your ready to pay horrible restaurant terrible customer service

Food was good & price was reasonable

Quick service great food and the staff is friendly

Delicious!!!

Best Mexican food in town!!

Good food prepared quickly at a great price

Few drinks to pick from. Food was ok but not great. Disappointing

My favorite Mexican place in RVA. The enchiladas are the best. Staff seems off putting at first but we visit so much theyve become friends

This is usually our go to place but after tonight I highly doubt well go again. We ordered our food online, two vegetarian dishes and queso. Unfortunately when my fiancé picked up the order and brought it home both dishes had chicken and there was no queso AND no chips. Every one has a bad night so I thought to give them a call to redeem themselves but to my dismay when I called they couldnt be more rude. The person on the phone handed me over to what I assumed was a manager and he proceeded to tell me it was my fault and I ordered wrong and that was that. This has been our favorite place since moving to Richmond but now I wouldnt recommend to anyone.

29 steaks, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm