The Little One

300 stars for the cucumber, ginger lemonade. Get it.
Service was quick, staff were friendly, and the food is straight up delicioso. I ordered the surprise mixed plate and loved everything. This place is cash only, so beware. It also gets packed right at 12:05pm, so be prepared to come early or late.

The best! Great food, so friendly & welcoming! Also stewards to the local community
Love this place!!!

You can’t fake passion, so what you see in everyone working here is the real thing. Great food and something creatively Mexican for everyone — beef, pork, chicken, veggie. Chip & salsa are of course top notch. The fruit drinks are all awesome — I especially like the limeade. Fast, loud and fun, it oozes authentic Tucson. If I worked downtown, I would be here waaaaaaay too often. Viva The Little One.
Remember — Cash Only.

The downtown Tucson food scene has experienced a great boom in the last few years but a long time staple has been The Little Café Poca Cosa a.k.a The Little One. This tiny café promises a few things, loud upbeat music and a hug. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of food you are going to receive, completely on par with the food at Café Poca Cosa, just remember to bring cash, as they are cash only. My favorite thing to get is the plato, for a great mix of their best items. They always have fresh augas frescas that are a sweet accompaniment for any meal. The Little Café Poca Cosa is great for breakfast or lunch during the week. Unfortunately they are not open on the weekends.

Look, can someone please explain to me why this place isn’t open on the weekend? It seems extremely odd to me that a breakfast joint is closed when most people are off of work. I feel like this is bad business. What about the Sunday crowd? Anyways, lucky for me, I had a hiccup in my work schedule, and by a miracle, I was finally able to try this establishment out. The food is plated very similarly to Café Poca Cosa (the big one). The prices are very fair. I loved all of their juice options. I tried the beet and mandarin orange. It was extremely tasty. They only serve breakfast at first. The start serving lunch at a later time. I don’t know why they don’t just serve a whole brunch menu during their very limited open hours. The food was okay. You might fare better bringing in your own containers. They charge for plastic. I probably wouldn’t come back.

So tasty – and healthy. The service was super friendly and super quick – all in all, a great Tucson spot for lunch. They know how it’s done.

En este restaurante Little Café Poca Cosa me hicieron la grosería de pedirme que desocupara la mesa porque había personas esperando para entrar a comer cuando todavía me estaba terminando mi café …
No se como la misma dueña puede hacer algo así, esta de mas decir quePor nada del mundo recomiendo este lugar al menos que pidas la cuenta y te vayas mientras te estas comiendo el ultimo bocado o terminando de tomar tu café., para que evites la vergüenza de que te corran del lugar.
Simplemente un acto vergonzoso… A pero eso si al salir me dio un abrazo como es su lema o costumbre acompañado de un regresa pronto… que burla!!!

It would be nice for them to pony up and get the electronics to allow payment via card or accept checks not just cash. I ended up taking a 3% interest on the fee to get cash as well as a $ 6 penalty just to pay for my meal.
The service was exceptional, our waitress was not obtrusive while being prompt in checking on us, it was slow so I can’t say how it’d be when busy. The ambiance is enjoyable, I like the «fence» that takes you away from the street surrounding you when outside.
We weren’t interested in lunch but got there around 10a, lunch starts at 11. We were actually looking to find another restaurant which I think the waitress picked up on. She was so kind as to ask the chefs about lunch and served it to us an hour early.
The food was great however wasn’t rally hot more warm which was a bit surprising. The barbacoa was moist and flavorful, the chipotle sauce was sweet with a nice follow of slight heat, the mole was yummy but most surprising was how much I enjoyed the rice! It was packed full of flavor!
I got the half coffee half horchata which was good but I like El Charros horchata more. The mango drink was simply delicious!
Definitely will be back for more … With plenty of cash

I like saucy meat. I’m not ashamed to say it. Nice, generously-​portioned, saucy meat. The saucier, the better. And when said saucy meat is served up with a smile (and a hug, even?), well… what more can you ask for?
The Little Café Poca Cosa enjoys quite the reputation around Tucson, and it’s well deserved. This is one of those unicorn restaurants that offers both legit ethnic flavors AND high quality ingredients. Normally you have to sacrifice one for the other. Like that incredible hole in the wall making killer food with mystery meat, or the fresh, organic place offering bland, misdirected imitations of the real thing. Not here, amigos. LCPC serves up the dank flavors and I respect the quality of their ingredients.
I’ve only been once but got to sample a couple of things — the chicken molé and the pork in chipotle cream. Both incredibly delicious. I’ve had a lot of bad molé in my life (and a few good versions) and this molé is gooooood. The pork in chipotle cream? I could take a bath in that stuff (and then eat the entire bathtub full of it). Ugh. This is my style of food. The popular dish here is the surprise plate, but you can also get a half/​half — two meat/​veg options with a salad, beans, rice and tortillas. The price is totally right.
I hear legend that you get hugs from the proprietor. I did not score one of those, but I’ll be on the lookout for one when I return, which is a surety. I wish all restaurants could find this sweet spot between incredible flavor and quality ingredients. It’s a surprise so few do.

One of my favorite spots in Tucson. I always get «the plato» because it is always a pleasant surprise. Cash only but definitely worth the trip downtown. Keep an eye out on their daily drinks. As good as the food. Just thinking about this gem makes my mouth water.

The Little Café Poca Cosa is a little bit of happy in the middle of Tucson. The music is loud, the food is tasty, the patrons are happy, and the service is great. It’s cash only so load up on your way over and get ready for a hug when you leave. I can’t even really remember what we had beyond that is was quiet good and flavorful — I just remember it being one of my favorite, joyful eating experiences in a long time.

Yep, as good as the original. AND they also offer the «chef’s surprise» — which is 3 things of the chef’s choice. Everyone at the table who orders it gets a different one — so always fun to try a bunch of things. Served with mini tortillas for sopping up the sauce.
The chips here have gotten a major upgrade to the home-​fried kind – (the original restaurant of more than 10 years ago had the crappy thick ones.)
The service was sweet and very quick. Really a great deal for the price — I wanna say each plate was $ 11.
Sadly we missed the breakfast hour, I would have liked to try the breakfast tamale. Next time in Tucson, we will go back!

DELICIOUS! After having been at Café Poca Cosa plenty of times over the years and slowly falling more and more out of love with it I was tentative to try this place but it’s not fair to judge one sister based on another. I came in to have lunch with my sister and we luckily came in just before the lunch rush took hold. We were greeted upon entering and chose a table by the door. There was some commotion happening with a customer, I have no idea what he could’ve been unhappy about, but he promptly left and afterwards the owner stopped by the few occupied tables and apologized for the bad energy that had been brought in. Nice touch :)
Our server listed off a ton of fresh fruit juices of the day and they all sounded amazing but we chose the mango peach and a basil one that I can’t remember. Both were fresh and delicious, just like aguas frescas in Mexico only maybe not as sweet which was a big plus. For food we devoured a chef’s plate (just like CPP where the chef chooses for you) and a combo plate of chipotle cream pork and a green corn tamal. I had the latter and I loved it, the pork was SPICY, creamy and flavorful. Sometimes it feels like many places dull down salsas or sauces to cater to milder palates and it is very irritating when you enjoy spicier food. Finally the tamal was the best I’ve had since home. It was cooked perfectly with just a hint of sweetness from the corn and bits of green chile throughout. If you enjoy green corn tamales these are the real deal. My sister’s plate looked great too but I forget what was on it. I tried one of the options and it was very good but I was too busy enjoying my own meal. We both polished off everything.
Of course after paying and getting ready to leave Ms. Davila met us on our way out, hugged us and wished us a great day. Awesome meal!

This place served our favorite meal of our Tucson trip! Very delicious! I had the cochinita and a beef dish and my husband had the black mole. Everything was very good. The specialty lemonades were also good. Our favorite was ginger basil.
Service was fast, the restaurant is very casual and food was inexpensive and delicious.

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at here Little Café Poca Cosa! First of all, keep in mind a few things: 1) Cash only 2) They’re closed on weekends and holidays and 3) They don’t have to go styrofoam containers but instead sell you their restaurant’s own reusable containers to take home leftovers and bring back each visit. So, be sure to plan ahead and remember to bring those containers if this is a repeat visit!
For my order, I first asked the waitress what non-​vegetarian dish would be the least spicy, and she recommended the barbacoa de res (sirloin tip with mild green chiles, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro). It was fantastic… tasty, well-​cooked, and a perfect mix of meat along with sides of salad and fruit. The meal was especially great when paired with the corn tortillas they gave our table. Side note: In the beginning, our waitress only gave us one pan of tortillas for our whole table, but after requesting more, she happily gave us another since there were 3 of us. My bf had the pollo en mole negro, which he enjoyed as well, and his mom ordered her consistently favorite dish, the cochinito en crema de chipotle (pork with spicy chipotle sauce).
5 stars for a delicious lunch, and I look forward to coming here again!

If you’re visiting Tucson during the weekdays schedule to come here for breakfast or lunch. Atmosphere is awesome and fun, reminds me of why I live in Tucson.
The food is phenomenal. I always get the surprise plate which is chef’s choice of three different items. The mole is out of this world.
It’s a must have.

Any time I have a weekday afternoon off, I am here! Best food, best fruit juices, best service, and all at a great price! If you don’t have dietary restrictions, just get the plate-​it will be amazing.

My favorite downtown breakfast spot! Bring cash cause that’s all they take. I love their green corn tamal it’s pretty perfect! Chips and salsa come out first and both are the best I’ve had! Everything is incredibly fresh, highly recommend giving this quaint place a try.

Wow, I feel like I had such a different experience here than other people.
First things first, I got the plato surprise and a ginger basil mint limonada. The chips and salsa were good, and the drink was DELICIOUS.
The plate was just ok. The chicken dishes were good, but the pork w/​chipotle sauce was very salty. The chip and salsa were less salty than that dish. I finished an entire cup of limonada and another cup of water because it was that salty.
The portions are large, and I ate only about ¹⁄₃ of the plate.
The major disappointment was the lady who is probably the owner. She walked around, asking some tables if things were okay. It took a few minutes for the waitress to bring me a box for my leftovers and said she would be back with the check. She was very busy, and the lunch crowd was starting to trickle in, with about 3 parties looking for a table. As I’m waiting the few minutes for the check, the owner lady comes behind me, tells me «Speed it up; people are waiting», and walks away. I’m waiting for someone to tell me how much money I owe. Would you prefer that I leave without paying? The waitress was busy.
Totally felt unwelcomed. I wasn’t in there just taking up valuable space during the lunch rush. The guy who walked in right before me left a couple of minutes before I did, and a couple that was there before I arrived was still eating. The waitress was plenty nice; the owner, not so much.

Little Café Poca Cosa is a Tucson gem. The portions are generous, the music is loud, and the agua frescas are amazing. I tend to get one of the specials whenever I have lunch here because the menu is always there, so why not adventure with a special? My favorite so far has been the chicken with poblano cream sauce. Wow! I want a bottle of that sauce to put on everything. It is so good!
Check the hours before you come here because they close for the summer.
And, don’t forget to hug Sandra before you leave.

I’m always served excellent food at Café Poca Cosa. The serving sizes are huge, one order is easily enough for two meals. The services is expedient and friendly, and you should expect a hug from one of the owners. The quality of their food has never disappointed me. This restaurant is a jewel of Tucson.
Favorite Fare:
— any homemade juice
— their delicious Mexican hot chocolate coffee concoction
— chile relleno
— tamal del elote
— complementary salsa & fresh chips
— any lunch special… seriously this is my usual choice, I’m always happy with the special
— chicken soup
— chicken ranchero
— birria
— huge and delicious salads
— great beans and tortillas (both corn and flour)
I’m not a fan of their mole. Their menu claims that it is especially good, but I think it lacks the richness of other versions available in town. I took no points off for this, because this is the only one item on PC’s menu that I would not order.

I moved to Tucson in 2010… That means I’ve been in Old Pueblo for nearly 5 years. **Why the heck am I only visiting Little Café Poca Cosa now?!?**
This place… this place should have sonnets and love songs written about it (and it’s highly possible it does).
I simply loved every thing about my visit. From the owners incredible demeanor — and yes, she kissed us before we left — to the delicious specials and tasty beverages made in-​house.
There’s a reason there are so many glowing reviews for this place — it deserves every bit of praise. I can’t wait to come back!

Little Poca Cosa is Wonderful and I will boldly say, welcome to you new favorite lunch spot! The menu has so many choices, I recommend getting several plates and let everyone eat and try everything. The three of us did and we all LOVED it. The Mole is so tasty, the juices are divine, the carnitas was crispy and perfect, the white corn tamale was oh so tasty. The beans so flavorful. and on and on and on. Be sure to learn to be a mole (that is Mo Lay gringo) fan. there are so many flavors to try it may take several trips. Well lets all go! The music is loud and the hugs sincere.
See you there if I am in Tucson

Just a short and simple review for this place. My fiancé and I showed up for lunch and it was slammed but we were able to sit instantly. I had the Plato Poca Cosa for lunch and she had the Pollo Mole Negro. Both plates were incredible and they arrived extremely quick.
Our waitress was so sweet and attentive.
The boss lady was constantly floating around asking how the food was and giving out love. She hugged us when we left.
We both agree that this is a 5 star gem.