Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval

Review summary

1. A

   Aarika

   VIP

   Washington DC

   9 reviews

   5.0

   9 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food and environment! Drinks were excellent! Definitely recommend!
   

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2. P

   Peter

   Baltimore

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   We were at the Tampa Convention Center for my daughter’s All-State Chorus concert and wanted to celebrate with a nice dining experience after the event. Lona’s seemed like a great option. I had reservations so we were seated promptly. The atmosphere was nice, well decorated with traditional Mexican music playing. Our server, Maria, was kind and attentive and did her job well. Unfortunately this was as good as it got. The food unfortunately did not deliver. One of our orders was the Enchiladas which we asked only for the red sauce. The chicken was completely unseasoned. It tasted like chicken boiled in water. The sauce was 100% tomato, 0% chiles, which would make the dish an Entomatada. It tasted terrible and was not eaten. We also had the salmon, which was cooked properly but was completely drenched in sauce giving a delicate fish a soggy texture. The sides for the salmon were a fully unseasoned red cabbage only coleslaw and a half avocado sprinkled with roasted corn kernels. Those were unseasoned as well. We also had refried beans and yellow rice brought to the table as sides for everyone and it was inedible. The beans were pureed to the point of a watery consistency and lacked any flavor, while the rice had no seasoning either. Now the very unfortunate part is that this was a relatively expensive restaurant. I understand and fully support paying good money for good food, but for lousy food, it just doesn’t register. The chef needs to pay more attention to the food leaving the kitchen and ensure that every cent they received from diners is actually earned.
   

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3. m

   marie

   Raleigh

   9 reviews

   5.0

   9 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Really enjoyed this place. The food and margaritas were delicious, the service was good and the environment was inviting. Will definitely be back again.
   

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4. D

   Don

   VIP

   Naples

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Had brunch at Lona earlier today for a party of 8. . Food, drink and service were all great !
   

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5. R

   Rose

   Charleston

   6 reviews

   3.0

   6 reviews

   Dined on 4 January 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Located downtown Tampa inside the Marriott lobby near Amalie Arena, the restaurant had a great energy feel with eclectic southwestern feel. Bummer that the large screen TV with the latest football game was enormous and kind of ‘in your face.’ Unfortunately the chips tasted a bit stale but the salsa and the crabmeat guacamole were definitely tasty. We ordered the shrimp taco. Enjoyed the soft, corn tortillas but the shrimp were way over seasoned and were rubbery. I really wanted to love it but unfortunately we did not.
   

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6. R

   Rosanna

   Orlando

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 29 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   They were very generous they also gave us a complimentary dessert for our anniversary.We loved it definitely recommend the private suite.
   

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7. L

   Laura

   Tampa

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 26 December 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   The basics of tortilla chips and salsa were a big miss. Tortilla chips too thick and hard. Salsa was terrible and didn’t taste fresh. Exact same experience last week at Venga in Snowmass (must be Sysco?). Service at the bar before dinner was great. Table service was not so good. Inattentive server who wasn’t that busy. Entered wrong order for one dish. Forgot drinks. Will go back to just sit at bar.
   

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8. R

   Rachel

   VIP

   Tampa

   23 reviews

   5.0

   23 reviews

   Dined on 25 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Came for Christmas happy hour ! Was very empty when we arrived. It soon filled up at the bar. This is one of the best happy hours around. The drinks are amazing, well crafted in lovely glasses and great price ( just means you drink more !). The nachos are large and an added order of guacamole is always welcome. The corn … oh what to say about the corn… this is street corn at its finest. We had three orders between the three of us. Black bean soup, chips and delicious salsa as well as a taco al pastor rounded out our feast. Service was gracious and we appreciated that folks were working on a holiday. Enjoyable all around - we will be back
   

   Lona by Chef Richard SandovalResponded on 30 December 2024

   Dear Rachel, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We’re thrilled to hear you had a wonderful time during our Christmas happy hour. It’s great to know that you enjoyed the drinks, food, and especially the street corn! We truly appreciate your kind words about our service, and we’re happy to have been part of your holiday celebrations. We look forward to welcoming you back for another fantastic visit soon!
   

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9. M

   Melissa

   VIP

   Tampa

   12 reviews

   2.0

   12 reviews

   Dined on 25 December 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   The food was not good at all. Maybe it’s because it’s not your normal menu. One of the three people ate their food.
   

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10. j

    judy

    VIP

    Tampa

    41 reviews

    5.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    The food was really good. I had the ceviche which was very fresh tasting - my husband had the shrimp fajitas - it came with tasty accompaniments (crema instead of sour cream). The black bean soup was unique and superb. All we ate had an authentic flair to it. The salsa served with the chips was excellent and very different from the usual tomato based salsa. It had a nice bite that was flavorful and brought out the heat of the chilis used. I was going to buy a bottle of it for home but forgot by the end of the meal! Next trip!
    

    Lona by Chef Richard SandovalResponded on 30 December 2024

    Dear Judy, Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so glad to hear that you enjoyed the ceviche, shrimp fajitas, black bean soup, and our unique salsa. It’s wonderful to know that you appreciated the authentic flair of our dishes. We’re sorry you missed out on taking home a bottle of our salsa, but we look forward to having you back on your next visit!
    

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