La Familia Cafe and Cantina

Had the jerked chicken on Sunday. It came out about 10 mins after we ordered, and tasted dry and overcooked. Was likely cooked a couple of hours ago. Probably fine for college kids. My wife wasn’t impressed with her shrimp relano either.

I really enjoy La Familia’s salsa options– the «sweet» salsa being my fave. The prices always seem a little expensive, but my least favorite thing about LF is that they’re very slow. I went to dinner here over the weekend, we ordered fairly quickly and it took over 30 minutes to get our two entrees.
I’ll definitely go back, especially for the salsa. Just not when I’m in a hurry!

Delicious food! Love this place and will come back! One of Lawrence’s most under looked Mexican restaurants!

I would not even send Hitler to this place, maybe Satan…
So, two beef tacos (hard shell) and rice = a chunk of molar (back right side) being broken off… as I ate my taco, felt something hard as I chewed and hoped it was just a bit of bone from the beef… it wasn’t…how in the wide world of sports can a beef taco break one of the strongest teeth that you have… who the truck knows… I know this… I won’t be back… even though they have some of the best salsa in Lawrence… greasy food, bring a cup, fill it up and use the grease to oil your truck!
#stanks!

It has been a huge disappointment to dine here because the food of long ago either was never really good or my tastes have changed or possibly both.
I have been back several times and each time I order different items. Every item, though indicated as spicy, isn’t spicy at all. The food is just ok; nothing outstanding or has a wow factor. The one saving grace is their hot salsa. Now it packs a punch. If you have a sweet tooth try the sweet salsa. It’s more on the spaghetti sauce side.
Why the 3 stars? The chips & salsa are unlimited and a star is for nostalgia. Otherwise, I would move on but my family is all about Lawrence nostalgia.

Being a Mexican gal from SoCal, I never have high expectations when going to a Mexican restaurant, just so I’m not disappointed.
La Familia is only 5 minutes away from my work. My friend and I went there for lunch today (first time for both of us), and it didn’t seem busy. Our waitress brought us our drinks, then returned a pretty long time after to take our order.
I ordered steak tacos, with onions only. After a long time, we finally got our food. She brought me (greasy) tacos with lettuce and cheese, and I asked if it’d be possible to get them the way I’d ordered. She didn’t want to at first, and said that I had ordered them that way, then finally went back to the cook and yelled out, «Apparently she didn’t want nothing in her tacos, just onions.» Few minutes later, I got my tacos — without onions.
By this point, our lunch hour was pretty much over, so I had to pack up my food.
If my friend’s husband hadn’t picked up the tab, I don’t think I’d have tipped her. I’m picky when it comes to food, and I know it, but seriously. She didn’t even have a notepad, she was kind of aggressive when I let her know about it, and she was yelling about it. Plus, my friend’s husband and his coworker have been there before, and they told me she’s gotten their order wrong a few times.
I’ve had better food, and better service, so I think this’ll be my only visit.

Good atmosphere and good food. I always make it a point to stop and have a chicken quesadilla and a chicken taco when I’m driving through Lawrence. Their salsa and queso blanco are pretty tasty as well.

Went back last night after many years of absence and still as good as ever. Service was friendly and quick. Food was as good as Tex-​Mex gets in the area and the prices are reasonable to low.

Chicken empanada is excellent and very flavorful, but in a good way!

Is priced low and it’s tasty enough.

You wouldn’t know it from its crammed in location on New Hampshire street in Lawrence, but La Familia is an excellent option for Mexican food while in the capital of Jayhawkville. LFCaC brings great Mexican taste to this college town and the eats don’t disappoint. Most of the items are named after people, presumably regulars or friends of the owners. These combos combine classic tex-​mex fare with beans and rice. I found my tamal to be moist with just enough sweetness. Get the spicy pork sauce on the side instead of on top of the corny delicacy.

There are many vegetarian options, wonderful salsas, freshly made chips, and a family-​friendly atmosphere. This is one of our favorite downtown restaurants & a staple for out-​of-​town guests!

Um, no thanks. The food isn’t bad, but I wasn’t expecting it to be exactly the same as La Tropicana: school cafeteria style «Mexican». Service was pleasant, and hot & regular salsas were tasty.

This place is nice and cozy but the prices are not that great, nor is the food anything to write home about.

La Familia is a small restaurant with friendly service and decent food. Being a Mexican food junkie from SoCal and used to some of the best Mexican food north of the border, I have high standards. La Familia failed to meet those standards, at least on our first visit.
I ordered the large guacamole, trusting the server when she said it would be «just right» for two … it was enough for four and at $ 7+ not a total bargain. It was tasty even though we ended uo taking half of it home. I also tried the margaritas, an impressive 16 ounces for $ 5 but lacking ANY noticeable alcohol content (isn’t that the whole idea?).
My wife is Italian and not a big fan of Mexican cuisine, so she usually orders a quesadilla and did not surprise me here. An Italian that hates tomatoes, does not cook (thankfully, I am quite a good cook) and does not drink wine, she makes a great designated driver. Trying to find Mexican food WITHOUT TOMATOES is like trying to find a beach in Greenland … Good luck! The quesadilla was stuffed with tasty sauteed mushrooms, but little, if any, cheese. The name «quesadilla» comes. from the word «queso», meaning cheese, so you would expect cheese. There was none that we could find, but my wife liked it nonetheless.
I always order the staples, tacos and enchiladas, when trying a new Mexican restaurant because if they cannot get those right, there is little chance the rest of the food will be with trying. Store-​bought chips and pre-​fab tacos shells are another dead give away and La Familia did again disappoint, although the tacos were tasty and the shells the large variety, beating out any Mexican restaurant in Lawrence so far (Fuzzy’s Tacos being the exception), but that is not saying much. The cheese and onion enchilada was nothing special. Finally, the «sweet» salsa I had heard so much about was awful, but thankfully they have two other savory and spicy options.
In all, when a bunch of gringos run a Mexican restaurant, you cannot expect authentic recipes and that was the case at La Familia. We will return and give them another chance only because they are so convenient and my wife liked the cheese-​less quesadilla. Asta la vista baby!
La Familia gets 5 Out of 10 Bombs … Bombs Are Good!

Sweet salsa oh my! Nothing quite like it. The staff is really friendly & welcoming. They have lots of specials worth partaking in. Super fair prices.

I don’t know if ownership has changed or there has been a turnover in the kitchen, but the food has been lacking the past couple of times I went. One time I ordered the chicken tacos, when the brought me beef, I notified them of the mistake and the waiter tried to convince me that it was chicken and took the ‘opinion’ of another server to get the correction made. The food also just isn’t fresh anymore. It’s very disappointing as this used to be one of my favorite places to go. I hope they can get their act together again.

My favorite hole-​in-​the-​wall in Lawrence! It’s cheap and delicious, with the best bottomless chips & salsa in town. Take advantage of their Al-​a-​Cart menu. The spinach enchiladas are stuffed and creamy, as is their queso dip. To be honest, that is all I know and need to know about this place.
Fancy? No. Groundbreaking? No. Satisfyingly delicious every time? Yes!

Best
And quite
Possibly
Cheapest texmex
In Lawrence. Thank you La Familia.

Just a quick update to mention the excellent service we always get in La Familia. We always have the same waiter (serving the back booth in the first room) and he is friendly, keeps us in chips/​salsa (I practically *drink* that amazing hot sauce, it’s so good and definitely spicy. I am a hot sauce addict, after all) and is generally one step ahead of the game in a way that not every server in town is not.
I’m going to miss being a regular here. To be honest, it’s the best Mexican I’ve had in the KC area hands-​down and the cheapest. The vegetarian options are plentiful and you’re not stuck with a boring cheese enchilada (or nothing at all, as I’ve experienced at a couple places on the Boulevard. I get it, they’re authentic). You can get a freaking *pint* sized top shelf margarita (made with Patron or Sauza Hornitos… a few more choices I’m forgetting) for less than 10 bucks and they have regular specials on margaritas and beers, too.