La competencia better say hola to Mia’s Cantina. Mia’s is up against local Mexican restaurants Los Dos and Alfredo’s Taqueria.

When I arrived it wasn’t busy and I was seated fast, but it took too long, around ten minutes, for the server to to take my drink order.

Some of this slowness can be excused because a new restaurant needs to find its groove before it can be fully functional and this one is no exception. It is key for a restaurant to deliver food and drinks frequently and fast to keep the customer happy.

A Mexican restaurant is only as good as its chips. It’s the first thing you eat and sets the mood for the whole meal. Lucky for Mia’s the chips were delicious. They gave a decent amount and they were nice and crispy and the salsa that came with was a mild flavor.

The appetizers I ordered, guacamole and chori-queso, were satisfying. The guacamole was decent and had a fluffy texture. The chori-queso is a nice melted cheese that is put on toritas and was excellent.

The main course I ordered was the carne asada It consisted of two steak tacos with cilantro and onion and a side of rice and beans. The rice was relatively bland with no bold flavors and a little undercooked with average tasting beans.

The plate came with two tacos. I usually avoid steak at Mexican restaurants because it is sometimes overly fatty. I was pleasantly surprised when I only found one piece of fat in both of the tacos. The steak was juicy and well cooked. The onions and cilantro, lacked bold flavors and the steak is what shined.

The two tacos it came with were not enough. The dish costs eleven dollars, and I personally found that this price was too high given the portion.

Overall Mia’s Cantina is a nice addition to downtown Downers Grove despite the somewhat high price.